Auris bona est

This motet is ideal for use during the liturgical season of Lent or for any occasion where a choir wishes to reflect on the nature of good hearing. Orlando di Lasso, a master of Renaissance polyphony, crafts a rich SATTB setting of a Latin text concerning wisdom and obedience. The composer adeptly translates the text’s message—that good hearing involves willingly listening to useful things, discerning what is heard with prudence, and acting upon understanding with obedience—into a musically compelling structure. The five-part vocal texture allows for a broad palette of expressive possibilities, moving between imitative passages and homophonic declarations, reflecting the theological and moral weight of the words.