All' ombra de gl'allori

Carlo Gesualdo's madrigal All' ombra de gl'allori paints a scene of pastoral melancholy. The text describes the poet encountering his beloved Licori sadly seated beneath the laurel trees. He exclaims that the sun is not accustomed to being in shadow, drawing a parallel between the sun and Licori's unusual sadness. He observes her weeping, comparing her tears to rain from the sun, and then gazes at her face, noting how the sun cannot be fixedly observed. The poet feels his heart growing cold, reflecting on how no one can bear the intense heat of the sun. This sophisticated five-part SSSTB setting demands expressive singing to convey the nuanced emotions of the text.