Alme luci beate

This SSATB madrigal by Sigismondo d'India sets a text that describes the sweet torment of love. The lyrics speak of souls whose bright eyes burn, destroying the heart with their gentle fire. The poet asks who will be happy in Love, struck by such beautiful flashes. D'India's setting, typical of secular Italian part-music from the Renaissance, would have been intended for amateur or professional ensembles who enjoyed exploring the expressive possibilities of word painting and rich harmonic language.