An example of Renaissance secular music, this type of music is designed for mixed chorus and is usually about love.

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Renaissance secular vocal music for mixed choir is exemplified by the madrigal. Madrigals are polyphonic songs written for several voices in a mixed ensemble, often four to six parts, and they focus on secular topics like love and nature rather than sacred texts. They originated in Italy in the early Renaissance and became a popular form for intimate courtly entertainment and salon performances, emphasizing expressive word painting and vivid musical depiction of the lyrics. In contrast, an anthem is a sacred choral work tied to Anglican worship; a cantata is a Baroque-era multi-movement piece that can be sacred or secular but typically features recitatives and arias and belongs to a later period; a Mass is a central liturgical setting of the Catholic service. Because madrigals are quintessential Renaissance secular pieces written for a mixed choir about love, they fit the description best.