Caligaverunt oculi mei

Orlando di Lasso, a towering figure of the late Renaissance, composed this poignant motet for SAATB voices. The Latin text, drawn from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, expresses profound grief and desolation. The opening lines, 'My eyes have grown dim from my weeping; for he who comforted me has gone far from me,' set a tone of deep sorrow. The music reflects this anguish as the text calls upon all peoples and passers-by to witness and acknowledge a pain like no other. Lasso masterfully employs the five-part texture to convey the emotional weight of the words, creating a powerful and moving sacred work.