Friday, December 05, 2008

Vigilate! (Watch!)

My all-time favorite video on youtube and my current favorite motet by William Byrd is Vigilate from the Cantiones Sacrae of 1589.

Mark 13:35-37: "Vigilate, nescitis enim quando dominus domus veniat, sero, an media nocte, an gallicantu, an mane. Vigilate ergo, ne cum venerit repente, inveniat vos dormientes. Quod autem dico vobis, omnibus dico: vigilate."

"Watch ye therefore (for you know not when the lord of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning): Watch therefore, lest coming on a sudden, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch."

Listen to the amazing word painting: including the cock crowing at "an gallicantu."

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