Ardo, sì, ma non t'amo

Leonhard Lechner was a German composer of the later Renaissance. He was a prolific writer of secular vocal music, including madrigals, which were popular throughout Europe. Ardo, sì, ma non t'amo is a secular madrigal for SSATB voices, sung in Italian. The text, attributed to Guarini, expresses a complex emotional state, declaring love but simultaneously rejecting it. The singer feels betrayed by a perfidious and pitiless lover, yet maintains a loyal heart. The speaker asserts they will no longer boast of their pain, as their heart is now healed. The burning sensation felt is one of disdain, not love. Lechner's setting captures these strong, conflicting emotions through the interplay of the five vocal parts.