A che t'affanni Amore

Antonio Cifra, a composer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque, wrote this secular madrigal for SSATB voices. The Italian text speaks of love, questioning why Love bothers with bows and arrows when the beloved's eyes possess such power. The lyrics suggest that a mere glance from these adored eyes can achieve more than any weapon Love might wield. Cifra's setting captures the light, argumentative spirit of the text, treating the madrigal with a sophisticated yet accessible harmonic language and contrapuntal invention. It is a fine example of Italian secular part-music from the period, ideal for a discerning choir seeking engaging Renaissance repertoire.