Anni nostri sicut aranea

Orlando di Lasso's motet Anni nostri sicut aranea is a powerful setting of verses from Psalm 90. The text reflects on the brevity and frailty of human life, comparing our years to a spider's web and lamenting that seventy or eighty years, if even attained, are filled with labour and sorrow. This sacred work is scored for a rich SSATTB choir, allowing Lasso to explore a wide range of sonority and expression. The Latin text is handled with the composer's characteristic skill, highlighting the poignant message of the psalm through intricate polyphony and moments of profound intensity. It stands as a significant example of Renaissance motet writing.