Palestrina ~ Sicut Cervus (c. 1604)

The Latin words set here by the Renaissance master Palestrina translate as “As the hart longs for the flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God.” The weaving in and out of the individual lines in the 4 voices — and the way chords come together at various points — are nothing short of sublime. 

The performance here — which includes the scrolling score of the piece itself — is by Voices of Ascension, Dennis Keene conductor

Personal connection

This setting has long been a favorite at St Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral where I sing.