The text of this beautiful piece by Robert Pearsall is taken from a play by Francis Beaumont, and describes the despair felt by Aspasia when she discovers that her betrothed has been ordered to marry someone else. The music is notable for Pearsall's liberal use of suspensions - in other words, when a note belonging to one chord is sustained after the underlying harmony has changed, creating a moment of harmonic tension before the note 'resolves'. It's well-loved by choirs all over the world, and if you don't know it in this version then you may well have heard or sung it to the alternative text 'Tu es Petrus'.

---

Sopranos: Rachel Haworth, Hannah King, Victoria Meteyard, Áine Smith, Katie Trethewey, Emma Walshe, Rosanna Wicks
Altos: Hannah Cooke, Martha McLorinan, Eleanor Minney, Sophie Overin, Anna Semple
Tenors: Jeremy Budd, Jack Granby, Nicholas Madden, Tom Robson
Basses: Ben Davies, Joseph Edwards, Jimmy Holliday, Thomas Lowen, Jonathan Pratt, George Vines, Simon Whiteley
Director: Nigel Short

Filmed at St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood, London on 18 September 2023.

Text:
Lay a garland on her hearse of dismal yew.
Maidens, willow branches wear, say she died true.
Her love was false, but she was firm.
Upon her buried body lie lightly, thou gentle earth.

--

If you enjoy our videos, please support us with a donation: https://www.tenebrae-choir.com/support