Che fai meco mio cor

Antonio Cifra’s Che fai meco mio cor is a five-part madrigal for SSATB voices. The composer explores a rich texture, with voices weaving in and out of dialogue. The Italian text speaks of a weary heart, urged to seek solace from love’s graces, finding joy and a path to heaven. Cifra’s setting uses the five-part harmony to express the pathos and ultimate release described in the text. This secular work exemplifies the contrapuntal writing and expressive intensity characteristic of the Italian madrigal tradition.