Dixerunt discipuli ad beatum Martinum

The disciples ask their beloved father, Saint Martin, why he is abandoning them and leaving them desolate, fearing that ravenous wolves will invade his flock. In response, Saint Martin declares that if he is still needed by his people, he will not refuse the labour, and God's will be done. Ivo de Vento sets this poignant Latin text for SATB choir in this sacred motet. The music likely reflects the emotional arc of the text, from the disciples' pleading to the saint's resolute acceptance of his divine mission.