Haime che non e un giocho

This anonymous Italian madrigal for SATB voices might have been sung at a gathering of friends, perhaps during a feast or celebration in Renaissance Italy. The text expresses the singer's torment and suffering in love, lamenting that his ardent passion is not a game. He feels deceived by love, which brings him pain while others find pleasure. He had hoped for enjoyment but instead experiences only grief, feeling that love has tricked him into a life of unrequited longing. The composer's skill is evident in the way the music would surely reflect the text's emotional intensity, capturing the lover's deep despair and disillusionment.