The madrigal appeared late in England, the most formative influence on its development there being Thomas Morley. It was Morley who actively propagated the Italian school, particularly in its lighter form. One of his major publications, The Triumphs of Orianna (1601), presented works dedicated to Elizabeth I by 23 English composers. Aprill Is in My Mistris Face, which appeared in Madrigalls to Foure Voyces in 1594, is typical of the English type of madrigal pioneered by Morley. The text is taken from Vecchi's Nel vis'ha un vago Aprile (In her face she has a charming April). Consisting of only four short lines and taking only about a minute and a half to perform, it is distinguished by a line-by-line flexibility that builds to a stress on the final disillusioned sentiment: "But in her heart is cold December." The opening is light and jaunty, delicately textured and with an almost rippling rhythm. The penultimate line brings in a far longer, more legato line, and the first phrase of the last line, "but in her heart," is repeated frequently, building emphasis and creating the musical climax.

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