Deh lascia Filli i fiori

Imagine a summer afternoon, perhaps in a garden, where a shepherdess, Filli, is gathering flowers for her unfaithful lover, Damon. This secular madrigal by Orazio Vecchi captures the moment with its expressive Italian text. The music reflects the pastoral scene and the bittersweet emotions of unrequited love, as Filli is teased by Damon who laughs at her affections while with Dafne. The composer’s setting for SSAATB voices draws the listener into this poignant narrative. It is a quintessential example of Renaissance part-music, ideal for a choir seeking to explore the dramatic and lyrical possibilities of the madrigal form.