Cingari simo

Giovanni Domenico da Nola was a composer of secular Italian part-music in the 16th century. This SAB setting of Cingari simo comes from the tradition of madrigals and villanellas, often drawing on popular texts for their themes. The text here is a lively invitation to play, suggesting that games are more enjoyable when played with good company. It playfully proposes a wager: if the singers lose, they will pay a small fine, but if the company loses, they will provide the wine. The music sets this light-hearted, slightly flirtatious text for three voices.