Composer

:

John Sheppard

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Average_duration

:

4:19

In manus tuas is a sacred choral work composed by John Sheppard, an English composer of the Renaissance era. The piece is a setting of the Latin text of the Nunc dimittis, a canticle from the Gospel of Luke. It is believed to have been composed in the 1550s or 1560s, during Sheppard's tenure as a member of the choir at Magdalen College, Oxford. The piece is written for five voices, with the soprano, alto, and tenor parts each divided into two voices. It is structured in three movements, with the first and third movements featuring a homophonic texture and the second movement featuring a more complex polyphonic texture. The first movement begins with a solemn and austere setting of the opening words of the Nunc dimittis, "In manus tuas, Domine" (Into your hands, O Lord). The voices enter one by one, building to a full five-part texture. The music is characterized by its use of long, sustained notes and its emphasis on the lower voices. The second movement is more complex, with the voices weaving in and out of each other in intricate counterpoint. The text is set in a more lively and joyful manner, reflecting the words "Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum" (For my eyes have seen your salvation). The third movement returns to the solemnity of the first, with the voices once again entering one by one. The music builds to a climax on the words "Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto" (Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit), before subsiding into a peaceful and contemplative conclusion. Overall, In manus tuas is a beautiful and deeply spiritual work, characterized by its austere beauty, intricate counterpoint, and profound sense of reverence. It remains a beloved piece of sacred choral music to this day, and a testament to the enduring power of Sheppard's music.

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