Amica mea - Ich stund an einem Morgen

Ludwig Senfl masterfully weaves together two distinct texts and languages in this SATTB setting. The music begins with the polyphonic interplay of German Lieder, evoking the imagery of a morning scene. This texture then gives way to the flowing Latin of a Marian antiphon, Tota pulchra es, amica mea. Senfl’s setting captures the tenderness of the text, describing the beloved as immaculate, with lips like honey and milk, and a fragrance of precious spices. The passage moves through the changing seasons, from the departure of winter and rain to the appearance of flowers and the sound of the turtledove, culminating in a call to arise and be crowned.