Il mal mi preme

Cipriano de Rore sets Petrarch’s sonnet 244 in this rich five-part madrigal for SATTB voices. The text expresses a profound spiritual struggle, where the poet is tormented by the ease of falling into sin and fears divine judgment. He finds himself in a frenzy, questioning whether to pray for war or peace, weighing the gravity of his sin against the shame it brings. Despite his unworthiness, he resolves to lift his soul to the heavenly kingdom, urging his heart forward, for the journey is long and time is short. De Rore’s masterful setting captures the text’s emotional turmoil and philosophical depth through intricate polyphony and expressive harmonies.