Hor che fra bianche perle

Tiburtio Massaino was a composer of the late Renaissance. Hor che fra bianche perle is a secular Italian madrigal for SATB choir. The text, a Petrarchan sonnet, uses extended metaphors of flowers, bees, and nectar to express ardent desire. The poet imagines himself as a bee, drawn to the exquisite beauty of his lady's lips. He longs to approach her, not merely to gaze but to taste the sweetness of her breath and kisses, which he imagines to be more delightful than any earthly honey. Massaino's setting captures the delicate imagery and impassioned longing of the verse.