Agimus tibi gratias

Cipriano de Rore was a leading composer of the mid-sixteenth century, known for his mastery of madrigals and sacred music. This motet, Agimus tibi gratias, is a short, powerful setting of a Latin text, likely intended as a table grace. The composer sets the words of thanksgiving to God with rich, imitative polyphony, exploring the full range of the six-part choir. The voicing options, SATBB, ATTBB, and SATTB, offer flexibility for choirs of different compositions, all contributing to a sonorous and impressive whole. The solemnity of the text, expressing gratitude for God's unending benefits and reign, is perfectly captured by Rore's masterful contrapuntal writing and harmonic language.