Canite tuba

Benedetto Pallavicino's Canite tuba is a powerful motet for eight voices (SAATTTBB) setting a Latin text drawn from the scriptures. The words speak of the imminent arrival of the Lord, heralding a time of rectification and the smoothing of difficult paths. This antiphon, calling for trumpets to sound in Zion, proclaims the approach of a redemptive day, when crooked things will be made straight and rough places plain. The text culminates in the fervent plea, 'Veni, Domine, et noli tardare' – 'Come, Lord, and do not delay.' The setting unfolds with dramatic intensity, fitting for the eschatological theme, offering a rich and complex sound world for a substantial choral ensemble.