Angelus Domini descendit

Antonio Cifra, a composer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque, offers this setting of a powerful Easter text. Angelus Domini descendit de coelo tells of the angel's descent, the rolling away of the stone, and the joyous announcement to the women that Christ is risen. The text, drawn from the Gospel of Matthew, is set in Latin, a traditional language for sacred music. Cifra employs a double SATB choir, creating opportunities for rich antiphonal effects and sonorous textures. This motet is a dramatic and uplifting testament to the Easter message, suitable for a choir looking to explore the rich sacred polyphony of the period.