Beati estis

Peter Philips's motet Beati estis opens with a jubilant, celebratory air, its eight-part SATB texture allowing for rich harmonic colour and contrapuntal interplay. The text draws from the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount, beginning with the blessing of the poor in spirit and the meek. The music vividly portrays the unfolding blessings, moving from contemplation to exultation as it reaches the call to rejoice and be glad for one's reward in heaven, mirroring the persecution of the prophets. Philips’s masterful setting emphasizes the joy and divine assurance promised to those who uphold righteousness, making this a powerful and uplifting work for double choir.