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The esteemed vocal ensemble VOCES8 dropped this rendition of William Byrd’s “Laudibus in Sanctis” on January 1, 2022. The lyrics, in Latin, are paraphrased from Psalm 150, while the music is performed in the style of a madrigal.
William Byrd
William Byrd is often considered to be the greatest English composer of the Renaissance. While his early works were written for Anglican services, later in life Byrd converted to Catholicism and began to lean towards the Catholic liturgical style. While this was an unpopular decision in his day, Byrd’s prowess and popularity as a composer allowed him to avoid some of the social stigma associated with being Catholic in Tudor-era England.
This tune was written as a madrigal, a style in which each voice part sings its own melodic line. These interwoven melodies come together to make a song that is greater than its individual parts. Hyperion notes that at the time of its composition, in the late 16th century, this genre would have been considered novel or even revolutionary to English ears.
Lyrics
“Laudibus in Sanctis” is a song of praise to the Lord and was drawn from the final Psalm. Global Worship has the English translation of the Latin lyrics:
Visit the USCCB to see how this hymn paraphrases from the biblical text.
Click here to listen to more brilliant sacred music from VOCES8.
