Dear, if you wish

Thomas Bateson's madrigal Dear, if you wish offers a delightful challenge for an experienced choir. Set for SSAATB voices, this English madrigal is a testament to the genre's expressive power during the Renaissance. The text explores a lover's plea for their beloved to revive them rather than hasten their death, cleverly arguing that true death is impossible without the breath of life. The music would ideally suit a concert setting, perhaps at a festival celebrating early music or as a showpiece within a programme of English madrigals. The composer masterfully uses the voices to depict the dramatic interplay between life and death, and the singers' ability to convey the text's witty and passionate sentiments will bring this engaging work to life.