Egra si ma vezzosa

This delightful Italian madrigal for SSATB voices captures the essence of Renaissance secular part-music. Cesare Zoilo’s setting of a poetic text explores the conflicting emotions of love and suffering. The opening lines paint a picture of a beautiful woman, so fair she moves wild beasts and stones to pity. The speaker then implores Cupid not to let his arrows burn too fiercely, lest his life be consumed, but also to wound his heart, as his ardour knows no boast. It is a poignant and engaging work, ideal for a choir seeking to explore the expressive possibilities of the madrigal form.