Dissi a l'amata mia lucida stella

Cornelius Verdonck’s madrigal Dissi a l’amata mia lucida stella sets a poignant Italian text. The lyrics describe a lover’s plea to his beloved, his ‘bright star’, who brings him flames, arrows, and chains, causing him constant pain. He fears he will die, to which his beloved replies, 'Yes, you will die, but not by my will'. This dialogue unfolds in a beautifully crafted SA setting, characteristic of secular part-music from the Renaissance, where intricate vocal lines and expressive harmony combine to depict the emotional drama of the text.