Audite stirps Levitica

Jan Tollius was a Dutch composer active in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, a period of rich development in sacred polyphony. This motet, Audite stirps Levitica, is written for three voices (STB) in Latin, a common practice for sacred works of the era. The text calls upon the Levitical lineage, the priestly line, and the sanctified offspring to care for orphans, strangers, and the poor, urging them to be invited to a shared meal. It continues with an exhortation for priests to bless the Lord and servants of the Lord to sing hymns to God. The music likely reflects the solemnity and devotional nature of the text, characteristic of sacred motets from this period.