Hor che lunge da voi

Marco da Gagliano, a composer of the late Renaissance, offers this striking SATTB madrigal in Italian. The text expresses the pain of separation from a loved one, lamenting the suffering that absence brings. The composer vividly captures the emotional turmoil described in the lyrics, using the rich textures of five-part harmony to explore the feelings of longing and despair. The words speak of the torment of loving someone proud and angry, concluding that to leave is to die. This is a prime example of the Italian madrigal tradition, where text and music are intricately woven to convey profound human emotion.