Cantavàn gli augelletti

Ascanio Meo's Cantavàn gli augelletti is a delightful example of secular Renaissance part-music. The composer sets a charming Italian text that paints a picture of birds singing amorously amongst green leaves as their lady dries her blonde tresses in the sun. The text goes on to describe the birds playfully moving from branch to branch, admiring the golden treasure of her hair. Scored for SATTB voices, the piece likely unfolds with intricate polyphony, characteristic of the madrigal genre, where the interplay of the voices beautifully mirrors the imagery of the text. It is a musically vivid setting of a pastoral scene.