Dum complerentur

Rinaldo del Mel was a composer of the late Renaissance, skilled in the polyphonic traditions of his time. This sacred motet, Dum complerentur, sets a passage from the Acts of the Apostles describing the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The Latin text speaks of the disciples being together in one place when suddenly a sound came from heaven as of a violent wind, filling the entire house. Del Mel crafts this event for SSATB voices, allowing the rich textures of the five-part choir to depict the dramatic arrival of the Holy Spirit and the astonishment of those present.