Bella come la luna

Giovanni Pietro Biandra was a composer of the late Renaissance, whose output included secular madrigals and sacred music. This motet, sung by a solo alto voice, uses a devotional Italian text comparing the Virgin Mary to the moon and the sun. It speaks of her beauty as surpassing both celestial bodies, calling her a star, moon, and sun whose splendour guides sinners. Biandra's setting captures the imagery of the text, with the solo voice offering a direct and intimate expression of Marian devotion.