A demy mort

This three-part French chanson by Jean de Castro, A demy mort, captures a mood of suffering and longing. The text speaks of being half-dead from illness, heartbroken and weary of life, pleading with a beloved friend for succour. Such chansons were a popular genre of secular part-music in the Renaissance, often sung in intimate gatherings or as entertainment. Castro’s setting would suit a choir looking for expressive, evocative French music from this period, with its relatively accessible SAT voicing.