Finem qui quaeris amoris

Thomas Mancinus was a composer of Italian Renaissance secular polyphony. This SATTB madrigal, Finem qui quaeris amoris, is a fine example of the genre. The Latin text presents a philosophical reflection on love and action. The opening lines suggest that love finds its end in worldly affairs, urging the listener to focus on practical matters for safety. The subsequent lines pose a rhetorical question about Aegisthus's adultery, providing a simple answer: he was idle. Mancinus sets this text with intricate polyphonic lines that weave together, reflecting the intellectual and emotional content of the words. The voicing for five voices allows for rich harmonic textures and contrapuntal interplay.