Exsurgens Maria abiit in montana

Ludovicus Episcopius composed this sacred motet for SATTB voices. The Latin text, taken from the Gospel of Luke, recounts the Visitation: Mary, rising and going with haste to the hill country of Judea, enters the house of Zechariah and greets her cousin Elizabeth. Upon hearing Mary's greeting, the infant John the Baptist leaps in Elizabeth's womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, blesses Mary and acknowledges her as the mother of the Lord. The music would have been intended to elevate the sacred narrative, with the rich texture of the five voices enhancing the emotional weight of the text. The motet explores themes of divine blessing, spiritual fulfillment, and the joyful anticipation of Christ's coming.