This edition was prepared by Peter Hilton — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Discedite a me
Staff Notation • Sacred, Motets
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Discedite a me by Carlo Gesualdo — Lyrics
In finem, in carminibus. Psalmus David. Pro octava.
Domine, ne in furore tuo arguas me, neque in ira tua corripias me.
Miserere mei, Domine, quoniam infirmus sum; sana me, Domine,
quoniam conturbata sunt ossa mea.
Et anima mea turbata est valde; sed tu, Domine, usquequo?
Convertere, Domine, et eripe animam meam; salvum me fac propter misericordiam tuam.
Quoniam non est in morte qui memor sit tui; in inferno autem quis confitebitur tibi?
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About Discedite a me
Carlo Gesualdo's motet Discedite a me is a powerful setting of a Latin text from Psalm 6. The composer, known for his intensely expressive madrigals and sacred music, crafts a deeply personal plea for mercy. The SSATTB voicing allows for rich harmonic exploration, heightening the emotional weight of the words. The text depicts a soul in distress, crying out to God amidst suffering and perceived abandonment. Gesualdo's music vividly portrays this anguish, with dissonances and chromaticism that reflect the turmoil described in the psalm. It is a striking example of late Renaissance sacred polyphony, characterized by its dramatic intensity and sophisticated contrapuntal writing.
