Kyrie (paschale)

This Kyrie setting by Spierinck is a sacred work for treble voices (soprano, alto, tenor). It is part of the Mass, a genre of Christian liturgy, and specifically a Mass fragment. The text is in Ancient Greek, a traditional liturgical language for parts of the Eastern Church. The composer has set the familiar plea, Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy), and Christe eleison (Christ, have mercy) with musical lines that are likely to be straightforward and chant-like, reflecting its sacred function.