Aspice Domine quia facta est

The Latin text of this motet depicts a city, once rich, now desolate and seated in sadness, longing for consolation. The composer Vicente Lusitano sets this poignant lament for SAATB voices, painting a vivid picture of sorrow and a plea for divine comfort. The opening words, 'Aspice Domine quia facta est desolata civitas plena divitiis', immediately establish a scene of profound loss, where the once proud 'domina gentium' now finds herself alone in her grief. The composer's setting for five voices enhances the emotional weight of the text, allowing for rich harmonic colours to convey the depth of the city's despair and its singular hope in God.