Crudel perché mi fuggi

Benedetto Pallavicino was a significant composer of the late Italian Renaissance. This SSATTB madrigal, Crudel perché mi fuggi, is a superb example of secular part-music from this period. The text expresses the lament of a lover pursued by their beloved, who seems to desire their death. The poet questions this cruelty, stating that the beloved is their very heart and that fleeing cannot possibly bring about death. The music would have been intended to capture the emotional turmoil of the text, with the rich textures of the six-part writing allowing for a dramatic and expressive setting of the poignant Italian words.