Hodie lucerna ante solem lucet

Tiburtio Massaino was a prominent composer of sacred music in late Renaissance Italy. This motet, Hodie lucerna ante solem lucet, is a powerful example of his style, setting a Latin text that uses a series of striking metaphors to herald the coming of Christ. The text speaks of light appearing before the sun, dawn before day, a herald before the judge, and a voice before the word, all culminating in the joyful proclamation that John the Baptist preceded the Nativity of Christ. Massaino uses the full SSAT.SATB forces to create a rich and dynamic sound world, perfectly illustrating the text's message of joyous anticipation and divine revelation through brilliant choral writing.