Kein Glück ohn Neidt

Thomas Mancinus was a composer active in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and this work belongs to the tradition of secular German part-music. Kein Glück ohn Neidt is written for two male voices (TB), and its text, in German, explores the age-old sentiment that happiness is rarely found without envy, and joy without sorrow. The composer, however, opts for a cheerful and defiant musical setting, declaring that he will sing joyfully, even if it causes envious hearts to burst with spite. It is a pithy and spirited statement, typical of the madrigal genre’s expressive character.