If it be love to sit and mourn

John Hilton the younger was a composer of secular part-music during the late Renaissance and early Jacobean periods. This madrigal, If it be love to sit and mourn, is typical of the genre with its expressive setting of English text. The three-part SSA voicing is suited for an all-female choir or a treble line in a mixed-voice ensemble. The lyrics explore a paradoxical idea of love, questioning whether love truly involves constant sadness and sighing. The composer uses the repeated "fa la la la" refrain, common in madrigals, to add a lighter, almost dance-like quality, contrasting with the melancholic sentiment of the verse. This juxtaposition creates a nuanced and engaging musical statement.