Basciai ma che mi valse

Philippe de Monte's Basciai ma che mi valse is a secular Italian madrigal for SAATB voices. Its text explores the bitter disappointment of unrequited love. The singer laments that kisses given in pursuit of romantic sweetness have yielded no fruit, like sowing seed in barren ground. While kisses are sweet to those who receive what they hope for, here they only torment the lover's desires. This piece offers a poignant expression of amorous frustration, perfect for a chamber choir seeking to explore the emotional depth of Renaissance polyphony.