Today we are featuring music from the Renaissance. Composers of the Renaissance were still coming up with and creating the 'rules' of western music. Their music is so expressive and uses polyphony- many voices singing different things at once, homophony- many voices singing the same thing at once, and tonality, to create a musical experience that represented the text. Here are two examples of the 'Ave Maria' text set to music:
Two very different feelings expressing the same text.
John Dowland was particularly known for his melancholy songs. Here is his 'Lachrimae' performed by Darian and I. Even without the words, you can feel the lament expressed in the music:
Now please feel free to sing along to the final song: Hymn 785 recorded by Darian, Ann, Bronwen, and myself.
In deepest night, in darkest days,
when harps are hung, no songs we raise,
when silence must suffice as praise,
yet sounding in us quietly there is the song of God.
When friend was lost, when love deceived,
dear Jesus wept, God was bereaved;
so with us in our grief God grieves,
and round about us mournfully there are the tears of God.
When through the waters winds our path,
around us pain, around us death,
deep calls to deep, a saving breath,
and found beside us faithfully there is the love of God.