Es la causa bien amar

Juan del Encina’s Es la causa bien amar is a secular villancico for two voices, AT. The text expresses the singer’s intense devotion to his beloved, whose gaze alone causes his suffering but also holds the power to offer solace and salvation. He confesses that he cannot and will not escape this painful yet desired state of love, for she is his only true source of joy. Encina, a significant figure in Spanish Renaissance music and drama, often set his own poetry, creating works that are both musically engaging and dramatically poignant. This piece exemplifies the expressive power of early Spanish secular song.