Ahi chi ne l'amor suo vive contento

Andrea Rota's Ahi chi ne l'amor suo vive contento is a secular Italian madrigal for SATTB voices. Written in the Renaissance tradition of polyphonic secular part-music, the work sets a text that laments the ephemeral nature of love and joy. The lyrics speak of how contentment in love can quickly turn to torment, and how love itself can be a deception, leading to fleeting pleasures and certain pain. Rota's setting would have been intended for the entertainment of educated amateur musicians or courtiers, a common practice during the period.