Care lagrime mie

Hans Leo Hassler’s Care lagrime mie is a secular Italian madrigal for SATTB choir. Written in the late 16th or early 17th century, this is an example of the sophisticated part-music that flourished during the Renaissance. The text expresses the composer’s sorrow and longing, lamenting tears that cannot soften a cruel heart. The singer’s tears are begged to either extinguish the flame of love or to grow so strong that the singer drowns in them. Hassler’s setting showcases the expressive possibilities of vocal polyphony, with rich harmonies and intricate vocal interplay to match the poignant sentiments of the poetry.