Heu quantus dolor

Orlando di Lasso, a prolific composer of the late Renaissance, created this motet for SATTB voices. The text, in Latin, reflects a profound sense of sorrow and inner turmoil. The opening lines speak of 'how great is the anguish and the troubled anxious care in minds that have extinguished the silent torches, death is more to be wished for than if they suffered their own funeral rites, since no pain remains from hidden love.' Lasso's setting masterfully captures the emotional weight of these words, offering a deeply expressive work for a skilled choir. The piece is a poignant example of sacred polyphony from a period renowned for its contrapuntal richness and emotional depth.