Aure soavi e care

Giovanni Bernardino Nanino conjures a serene scene in Aure soavi e care, a secular madrigal for SAATB voices. The text speaks of gentle, dear breezes that stir around a tranquil sea. The singer asks the breezes when the burning flame of love, born within them, will finally be extinguished. Nanino’s word-painting, typical of the madrigal genre, captures the gentle nature of the text while also conveying the yearning for relief from passionate love. This Italian setting offers a rich texture for an accomplished choir, reflecting the expressive possibilities of Renaissance polyphony.