Depuis le jour que je vous vei

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck’s chanson Depuis le jour que je vous vei is written for SSATB voices. Its five parts create a rich texture, with the voices often woven together in imitative passages. The text, in French, speaks of a heart enslaved by the beloved’s great beauty, suggesting that no other love can conquer this one. Sweelinck’s setting captures the Renaissance spirit of secular part-music, with clear melodic lines and a balanced harmonic language that reflects the poetic sentiments.