Jesum tradidit impius

Vincenzo Calestani's powerful setting of the Latin text Jesum tradidit impius depicts the betrayal and subsequent arrest of Jesus. The words describe the impious one handing Jesus over to the chief priests and elders, and Peter's hesitant following of him from a distance to witness the outcome. The narrative then moves to Jesus being brought before Caiaphas, where scribes and Pharisees had gathered. This motet is written for double SATB choir, allowing for rich textural and antiphonal possibilities. The Latin text is drawn from the Gospels, a common source for sacred choral music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, offering a dramatic and emotionally resonant musical setting.