“Harmonies of the Renaissance and Baroque”
June 6, 2026
Program
If ye love me – by Thomas Tallis
Verily, verily, I say unto you – by Thomas Tallis
Jesu dulcis memoria – by Tomás Luis de Victoria
Audivi vocem de caelo – by Thomas Tallis
O Lord, in thee is all my trust – by Thomas Tallis
O vos omnes – by Tomás Luis de Victoria
Dirait-on – by Morten Lauridsen
Hear the voice and prayer – by Thomas Tallis
Ubi caritas – by Ola Gjeilo
~INTERMISSION~
Gloria in excelsis (from Mass for 4 voices) – by William Byrd
Locus iste – by Anton Bruckner
Purge me, O Lord – by Thomas Tallis
Ave verum – by William Byrd
I heard the voice of Jesus say – by Thomas Tallis
Ave verum – by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sicut cervus – by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
This program presents works by some of the greatest composers of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, with a smattering of modern compositions written in an early music style. The most important music of the early Renaissance was composed for the church—polyphonic masses and motets in Latin for important churches and court chapels. These pieces showcase the beauty and power of sacred choral music and focus on the rich and intricate harmonies that were a hallmark of this era.
Polyphony was a common style of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, and many of the composers featured in this program were masters of this technique. Polyphony is a musical texture that features two or more equally prominent melodic lines played at the same time. Each of these lines can be thought of as a melody in its own right, which can be sung independently of the others. By layering multiple vocal lines, these composers were able to create music that was both intricate and expressive, with rich and complex harmonies.
Thomas Tallis and William Byrd were two of the greatest English Renaissance composers and were geniuses in composing polyphony. They worked during the turbulent times of separation from the Catholic Church that started when King Henry VIII created the Church of England which is also known as the Anglican Church. Both Tallis and Byrd were staunch Catholics but were favored by Queen Elizabeth I. Despite the enactment of the law requiring service to be conducted in English, Byrd often stuck to Latin. Tallis who was a court composer for Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I largely avoided controversy by writing anthems and liturgical music in English. The Episcopal Church, as a member church in the Anglican communion, continues to rely on works of these two great composers.
Tomás Luis de Victoria was one of the most famous Spanish Renaissance composers and was a Catholic priest as well as an organist and singer. The translation of Jesu dulcis memoria is “The sweet memory of Jesus.” O Vos Omnes, has text from Lamentations 1:12. The lyrics to Ubi Caritas begin with “Where charity and love are, God is there.” The modern Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo’s version of Ubi Caritas is just as beautiful as any early music motet. New to this program is Dirait-on by the American composer Morten Lauridsen, the tender final movement of his Les Chansons des Roses, set to a French rose poem by Rainer Maria Rilke. Mozart’s Ave Verum is thought to be one of his best works. We present both his composition and William Byrd’s. Wiki says Ave Verum is a meditation on Jesus’ presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Locus Iste was written by a 19th century composer, Anton Bruckner, whose works are beautifully polyphonic in his sacred music compositions. The lyrics translate to “This place was made by God, a priceless sacrament; it is without reproach.” We end with Sicut Cervus written by another great early music composer, Palestrina. It is a longtime favorite of ours and is one of his most popular motets, often seen as a model for Renaissance polyphony.
About the composers:
Thomas Tallis (c. 1505–1585) is often considered the father of English choral music. He served four monarchs during a time of major religious upheaval and skillfully adapted his music to Catholic and Protestant reforms. His anthems like If Ye Love Me and Hear the Voice and Prayer reflect the clarity and reverence that the Anglican Church valued after the Reformation.
William Byrd (c. 1540–1623), a student of Tallis, was a devout Catholic writing music for a Protestant country. Despite political dangers, he became a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I. His Mass for Four Voices (from which tonight’s Gloria is excerpted) was composed for private Catholic worship and is one of the masterpieces of English Renaissance sacred music.
Tomás Luis de Victoria (c. 1548–1611) was Spain’s leading Renaissance composer. As a Catholic priest, Victoria focused almost exclusively on sacred music, bringing a deeply emotional and expressive style to works like Jesu dulcis memoria and O Vos Omnes.
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525–1594) represents the peak of High Renaissance polyphony. His motet Sicut Cervus is one of the best-known examples of seamless, flowing counterpoint, often cited as the model of ideal sacred choral composition.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), while better known for his operas and symphonies, wrote Ave Verum Corpus in 1791 just months before his death. It is a brief, simple, and profoundly moving reflection on Christ’s sacrifice.
Anton Bruckner (1824–1896) brought the spirit of Renaissance polyphony into the Romantic era. His motet Locus Iste uses modern harmonies but retains a devotional simplicity, celebrating the sacredness of holy spaces.
Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978) is a contemporary Norwegian composer known for his lush, cinematic choral writing. His setting of Ubi Caritas honors the ancient text's focus on love and unity, linking early Christian traditions to a modern musical style.
Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943) is the most frequently performed American choral composer of our time and a recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Dirait-on, the radiant finale of his Les Chansons des Roses, sets a French poem by Rainer Maria Rilke in the lilting style of a folk song.
Sarah Quartel (b. 1982) represents a new generation of sacred choral composers. Amabile Alleluia, performed as our encore, continues the spirit of beautiful sacred singing with a fresh, lyrical voice.
Lyrics (in English or Translated)
If Ye Love Me – Thomas Tallis
If ye love me, keep my commandments,
and I will pray the Father,
and he shall give you another comforter,
that he may ‘bide with you forever,
e'en the spirit of truth.
Verily, Verily I Say Unto You – Thomas Tallis
Verily, verily I say unto you:
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood,
ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life,
and I will raise him up at the last day.
Jesu Dulcis Memoria – Tomás Luis de Victoria
Jesus, sweet remembrance,
Granting the heart its true joy;
But beyond honey and all things,
Is His sweet presence.
Audivi Vocem de Caelo – Thomas Tallis
I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me:
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.
O Lord, in Thee Is All My Trust – Thomas Tallis
O Lord, in thee is all my trust;
give ear unto my request.
Bow down thy tender ear to me,
and grant my simple suit.
O hear me, Lord, for thy tender mercy’s sake.
O Vos Omnes – Tomás Luis de Victoria
O all you who pass by the way,
Attend and see if there be any sorrow like my sorrow.
Dirait-on – Morten Lauridsen (text by Rainer Maria Rilke)
French:
Abandon entouré d'abandon,
tendresse touchant aux tendresses…
C'est ton intérieur qui sans cesse
se caresse, dirait-on;
se caresse en soi-même,
par son propre reflet éclairé.
Ainsi tu inventes le thème
du Narcisse exaucé.
English:
Abandon surrounding abandon,
tenderness touching tendernesses…
It is your own inner self,
endlessly caressing itself, so they say;
caressing itself within,
lit by its own reflection.
And so you invent the theme
of Narcissus fulfilled.
Hear the Voice and Prayer – Thomas Tallis
Hear the voice and prayer of thy servants,
that they make before thee this day;
that thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day,
ever toward this place,
of which thou hast said: “My name shall be there.”
And when thou hearest, have mercy on them.
Ubi Caritas – Ola Gjeilo
Where charity and love are, God is there.
The love of Christ has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice and be glad in Him.
Let us fear and love the living God,
and from a sincere heart let us love one another.
Gloria in Excelsis (from Mass for Four Voices) – William Byrd
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise You, we bless You,
we adore You, we glorify You,
we give You thanks for Your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us;
You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer;
You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
For You alone are the Holy One,
You alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Locus Iste – Anton Bruckner
This place was made by God,
a priceless sacrament;
it is without reproach.
Purge Me, O Lord – Thomas Tallis
Purge me, O Lord, from all my sin,
and save thou me by faith from ill,
that I may rest and dwell with thee
upon thy holy blessed hill.
Ave Verum Corpus – William Byrd
Hail, true body,
born of the Virgin Mary,
who truly suffered, sacrificed on the cross for mankind,
whose pierced side flowed with blood;
be for us a foretaste [of heaven] in the trial of death.
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say – Thomas Tallis (Episcopal Hymn #692)
(Note: These are the hymn lyrics, not a direct Tallis motet.)
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, O weary one, lay down
Your head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary, worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.
Ave Verum Corpus – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Hail, true body,
born of the Virgin Mary,
who truly suffered, sacrificed on the cross for mankind,
whose pierced side flowed with blood;
be for us a foretaste [of heaven] in the trial of death.
Sicut Cervus – Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
As the deer longs for streams of water,
so my soul longs for You, O God.