Asiso sovra un sasso

This secular Italian madrigal by Rinaldo del Mel is written for SSATTB voices. It evokes a pastoral scene, presenting the lament of a young man, weary and resting on a stone. He cries out to a cruel goddess, his pain so immense that even death seems unable to grant him release from his miserable fate. The music vividly portrays the emotional turmoil of the text, with the intricate polyphony of the era capturing the depth of his suffering. This work is a fine example of Renaissance part-music, ideal for an ensemble seeking to explore the dramatic expressive potential of Italian madrigal settings.