Composer

:

Thomas Morley

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Chamber Music

Compose Date

:

before 1597

Publication Date

:

1597

Average_duration

:

5:15

"Christes Cross" is a sacred choral work composed by Thomas Morley, an English composer, organist, and theorist of the Renaissance era. The piece was composed in the late 16th century and was first published in 1597 as part of Morley's collection of sacred music, "A Plaine and Easie Introduction to Practicall Musicke." The piece is written for four voices, with the text taken from a hymn by John Marbeck. The work is in the key of G major and is in a simple, homophonic style, with all four voices moving together in block chords. The piece is characterized by its use of imitative polyphony, with each voice taking turns singing the melody and then imitating each other. The work is divided into three movements, with each movement focusing on a different aspect of the text. The first movement, "Christes Cross," is a setting of the hymn's opening lines and is characterized by its use of imitative polyphony and its simple, homophonic style. The second movement, "O Lord, in thee is all my trust," is a more complex setting of the text, with each voice taking turns singing the melody and then imitating each other. The final movement, "O Lord, in thee have I trusted," is a simple, homophonic setting of the text, with all four voices moving together in block chords. Overall, "Christes Cross" is a beautiful example of Renaissance sacred music, characterized by its use of imitative polyphony, simple homophonic style, and focus on the text. The piece has remained popular among choirs and choral groups to this day, and is a testament to Morley's skill as a composer and his contribution to the development of English sacred music.

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