At the time of the full development of the madrigal the serious and humorous elements which dwelt together in the frottola separated completely.

The purely sentimental and idealistic frottola became the madrigal; the clearly humorous frottola became the villanelle.

When these two clearly differentiated species were firmly established, the frottola disappeared.
"The madrigal existed as early as the fourteenth century, but its general spread dates from the time of Adrian Willaert (1480-1562).
The madrigal was originally a pastoral song, but the form came to be utilized for the expression of varied sentiments and it was treated with a musicianship which advanced it toward the more stately condition of the 'durchcomponirt' motet.

In the villanelle the influence of the strophic folk song is clearly perceptible.

The frottola to a certain extent stood in the middle.