Ben mi credetti già d'esser felice

Luca Marenzio’s Ben mi credetti già d’esser felice is a secular madrigal for SATTTB voices. The music opens with a sense of hopeful imitation across the voices, before the texture becomes more complex and impassioned, reflecting the text’s sentiment. The poet describes a former belief in happiness upon entering the life of love, now replaced by profound sorrow and tears. The speaker laments being the unhappiest of lovers, compelled by Love to sigh and weep with ever-new laments and unusual moods. Marenzio’s masterful setting captures this emotional journey, moving from initial optimism to deep, expressive despair.