Assumpsit Jesus Petrum et Jacobum

Bartholomeus le Conte’s motet Assumpsit Jesus Petrum et Jacobum is written for a rich five-part choir (STTTB). Its Latin text draws from the Gospel account of the Transfiguration. The music opens with the disciples being taken up the mountain, and the composer captures the solemnity and mystery of the event through the interplay of the lower voices. As Jesus is transfigured and his face shines like the sun, the music builds in intensity, reflecting the divine revelation. The appearance of Moses and Elijah, and Peter’s impulsive suggestion to build tents, are depicted with shifts in texture and harmonic colour, before the piece concludes with a triumphant Alleluia, underscoring the awe and wonder of the disciples.