Exaltabo te

The music of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina has long been considered the ideal representation of Counter-Reformation ideals in church music, marked as it is by expressive restraint, strictly controlled polyphony, harmonic clarity, elegant melodic writing (owing much to Gregorian chant) and utmost attention to proper acccentuation of the words. This noble setting of verses 2-3 of Psalm 30, one of teh composer’s late Offertory settings, builds to a particularly effective climax at the words: Domine, clamavi ad te.