A la mia Clori

Luca Marenzio was a master of the Italian madrigal, a secular genre of polyphonic vocal music that flourished in the Renaissance. This short, expressive work for three voices (SST) is a fine example of his art. The text, sung in Italian, depicts the singer’s lament at the beloved Clori’s tears, contrasting with his own sighs. He longs for her and flees from her, attributing this cruel paradox to a loss of pity. The music vividly illustrates the emotional turmoil, with the composer skillfully setting the words to evoke tenderness and distress. The piece concludes with a plea to Love to reconcile their opposing emotions.