Donna voi sete il sole

Giovanni Francesco Anerio was a significant composer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. This SSATB madrigal, Donna voi sete il sole, is a prime example of secular Italian part-music from this era. The text expresses an ardent devotion, comparing the beloved lady to the sun whose effects are far greater than those of the elements. The singer, subjected to her power, feels all the elements within themselves, constantly changing between states of heat and cold, sorrow and ardour. Anerio’s setting captures these dramatic shifts in emotion with characteristic Renaissance polyphonic writing, rich in harmonic colour and expressive detail.