Night and day have stood in opposition to each other since prehistoric times. To our eyes they seem to follow one another in turn and yet the one is always present within the other. With La nuict froide et sombre Orlando di Lasso has succeeded in creating a powerful depiction of just such an interplay of a languorous night and a lively day. First published in Paris in 1576, the piece is representative of Lasso's rich chanson œuvre and marks a milestone in the emergent tradition of nature portrayal in music.