Ben credev'io

When the joys of love are discovered to be far from what they seem, the singer finds himself trapped in a prison of pain and despair. Giulio Renaldi’s setting of this secular Italian text captures the disillusionment of a lover betrayed by his idealised vision of Amore. The madrigal, for SATB choir, vividly illustrates the lament and regret expressed in Jacopo Sannazaro’s poem, transforming a poem about lost illusions into a moving exploration of suffering. This piece offers an opportunity to explore expressive vocal colours, contrasting the initial hopeful expectation with the profound sorrow that follows.