Ben accorta, ben sagace

Giovanni Battista Chinelli's madrigal Ben accorta, ben sagace is for solo soprano. This secular Italian song dates from the Renaissance, a period rich in sophisticated part-music. The text here expresses a woman's resolute rejection of deceitful lovers and false declarations of affection. She describes herself as prudent and discerning, unwilling to be swayed by dissembling words or manufactured passion. The soprano voice navigates through a declaration of independence from the whims of fickle affections, warning others to flee from the false promises of youth and the betrayals that often accompany them.