Cor mio deh non languire

This SSATB madrigal by Leone Leoni opens with a rich, imitative texture. The polyphony skillfully depicts the emotional turmoil expressed in the Italian text. The composer's word-painting vividly captures the heart's plea not to languish, but rather to send forth sighs of ardent desire. The music rises and falls, mirroring the internal struggle of the soul torn between pity and longing. Leoni explores the bittersweet paradox of a heart that 'lives' within another's breast, suffering unjustly while the beloved thrives. This secular Renaissance part-song offers a compelling dramatic and emotional journey for an experienced choir.