Mitch Friedfeld wrote:

>What is it called when the music takes the shape of what's in the lyrics?

It is called word painting (or sometimes text painting).  It reached a
peak I believe with the Italian Madrigalists in the 16th century, although
earlier masters such as Josquin may have paved the way by tailoring the
general mood (e.g.  De Profundis) or more obviously in their secular
chansons.  It's a device that first made its mark in secular music and
only later in sacred, which throughout the Renaissance and for about half
the 17th century cultivated a more conservative polyphonic style than was
the case with secular music.

Chris Bonds