Amicus meus

Orlando di Lasso, a leading composer of the late Renaissance, wrote this setting of a text that belongs to the tradition of responsories. Sung in Latin, it is set for SATB choir. The text, taken from the Passion narrative, describes the betrayal of Christ by Judas, who identified Jesus with a kiss. It laments the act, noting that Judas later hanged himself, and questions whether it would have been better had he never been born. Lasso’s polyphonic writing brings out the dramatic and emotional weight of these words, capturing the profound sorrow and regret inherent in the narrative.