I weigh not fortune's frown

Orlando Gibbons’s I weigh not fortune's frown is a setting for SSATB voices of a secular English text. The music opens with a lively, imitative texture, quickly establishing the independent lines of the five parts. The composer crafts a rich sound world that perfectly captures the spirit of the text, which expresses a deep contentment and detachment from worldly concerns. The madrigal eschews the pursuit of wealth or status, finding pleasure instead in a state of peaceful self-sufficiency. Gibbons’s word-painting is subtle but effective, enhancing the listener’s understanding of this philosophical declaration.