En desirant ce que

Thomas Crecquillon's En desirant ce que is a secular French chanson for SATB choir. The text speaks of a man's torment, desiring what he cannot have and ignorant of what he should know, leaving him in constant sorrow. This poignant expression of unrequited longing and inner turmoil is characteristic of the chansons of the Renaissance, where secular texts often explored themes of love, loss, and personal feeling with intricate musical settings. Crecquillon's SATB setting would allow for a rich harmonic texture to reflect the emotional depth of the lyrics, making it a compelling choice for choirs seeking to explore the secular polyphony of the 16th century.