Amor ti chiama il mondo

Girolamo Frescobaldi’s secular madrigal Amor ti chiama il mondo is a vivid portrayal of disappointed love. The composer paints a picture of unrequited affection, where the world calls out to love, yet no true realm of love is found within the beloved. The text laments this absence, describing a child devoid of love and faith, a cruel tyrant, and a minister of anguish, anger, torment, and pain. Though called Love, the beloved retains nothing of love but its name, a fact readily apparent to anyone who is not blind. This potent text is set for SSATB voices in its original Italian, providing a rich sonic palette for exploring the dramatic emotional contrasts inherent in the poem. It is a striking example of the Italian madrigal tradition.