Asperges me I

Orlando di Lasso’s Asperges me I opens with the plea for purification found in Psalm 51, 'Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.' The text continues with a prayer for mercy, and concludes with the Gloria Patri. This sacred motet is set for SATTB voices, with the Latin text sung in a rich five-part texture. Lasso masterfully shapes the music to reflect the penitential and supplicatory nature of the words, building to the triumphant affirmation of the Holy Trinity. The flowing melodic lines and careful contrapuntal writing are characteristic of Lasso’s sacred output during his prolific career.