This performance of Sir James MacMillan's 'Tenebrae factae sunt' (composed in 2006) is taken from a concert at St John's Smith Square in London during April 2023.

Our name 'Tenebrae' is the Latin word for darkness or shadows. It's also the name given to three special church services which are performed during Holy Week. This piece is one of three 'Tenebrae responsories' which MacMillan composed to texts from these atmospheric services, during which candles are extinguished one by one.

With grateful thanks to BBC Four for broadcasting this concert and permitting us to share it with you, to K418 Arts for production, and to St John's Smith Square for hosting us.

Sopranos: Grace Davidson, Rachel Haworth, Victoria Meteyard, Áine Smith, Katie Trethewey, Emma Walshe
Altos: Hannah Cooke, Martha McLorinan, Elisabeth Paul, Anna Semple
Tenors: Jeremy Budd, Jack Granby, Hamish MacGregor, Nicholas Todd
Basses: Joseph Edwards, Jimmy Holliday, Owain Park, Florian Störtz, Giles Underwood
Director: Nigel Short

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Tenebrae factae sunt, dum crucifixissent lesum
ludaei: et circa horam nonam exclamavit lesus
voce magna: Deus meus, ut quid me dereliquisti?
Et inclinato capite, emisit spiritum.
Verso: Exclamans lesus voce magna ait: Pater, in
manus tuas commendo spiritum meum.

Darkness fell when the Jews crucified Jesus: and
about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud
voice: My God, why hast thou forsaken me?
And bowing down his head, he gave up the ghost.
Verse: Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said:
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.

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Hear this music on our 'Bach & MacMillan' album: https://lnk.to/MotetsSacredSongs
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