Ardo si, ma non t'amo (Rovigo's 1st setting may be found here.)

Francesco Rovigo’s setting of Ardo si, ma non t’amo is a fine example of secular Italian madrigal writing for SSATB voices. The music opens with a direct and impassioned expression of the text's central paradox: 'I burn, yes, but I do not love you.' The composer skillfully uses the five voices to convey the speaker’s conflicting emotions, building to moments of dramatic intensity that reflect the text’s lament of perfidy and unrequited affection. The work concludes with a resolute declaration of the heart being healed, burning now with scorn rather than love, offering a satisfying resolution to the emotional journey. This madrigal is a striking and effective choice for a choir seeking expressive Renaissance part-music.