I piango et ella il volto

Alessandro Savioli’s I piango et ella il volto is a fine example of Italian secular part-music from the Renaissance. Scored for SATTB voices, the work explores the complex emotions of love and sorrow. The music vividly depicts the text, beginning with the solo voice weeping, accompanied by the other voices. This interplay continues, reflecting the beloved's tender gesture of wiping away tears, followed by a sigh and then anger expressed in forceful words. The piece concludes with the departure of the beloved and the onset of sleep, a dramatic contrast to the preceding emotional turmoil. Savioli’s masterful handling of vocal textures and harmonic shifts makes this a compelling choice for an experienced choir.