Iesu Rex coeli dominans abysso

This powerful eight-part motet for double SATB choir comes from the German composer Adam Gumpelzhaimer. Written in Latin, its sacred text is a profound meditation on the divine and human nature of Christ. The opening lines address Jesus as King of Heaven, ruling the abyss and governing both sea and earth. The text continues to explore the eternal love that unites God the Father and God the Son, and rejoices in Christ's Incarnation, becoming flesh of our flesh, so that we too become his flesh. The rich, polyphonic texture of the motet is well-suited to a solemn occasion, perhaps during Lent or Advent, or as a motet for a major feast day.