Giva pascendo il gregge

This secular Italian madrigal for SSATTB voices paints a charming pastoral scene. It describes a gentle shepherd, Erythraeus, tending his flock among flowery meadows, when the fair Astrea approaches him. She playfully asks where the sweet kiss originates and is gathered. The shepherd replies it is found on Venus's beautiful island, but Astrea insists that it is found in his own mouth. She kisses him and disappears, leaving the shepherd aflame with love. Giovanni Croce’s setting captures the lighthearted and amorous mood of the text with its rich, five-part vocal texture.