Gloria, Old Hall 17

The Gloria is a soaring declaration of praise, beginning with the angelic hosts proclaiming glory to God. This setting by Thomas Bytteryng for three male voices (ATT) captures the fervent exultation of the text. It moves through fervent adoration and thanksgiving to a solemn invocation of Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The music then builds to the majestic affirmation of the Trinity: "You alone are holy, you alone are Lord, you alone are most high, Jesus Christ." This fragment from the Old Hall manuscript is a significant example of late medieval English polyphony, presenting the familiar Latin Mass text with a directness and power that would have resonated deeply in its original liturgical context.