Jerusalem surge, ZWV 55:20

Jan Dismas Zelenka was a Bohemian composer of the Baroque era, whose sacred music often explores profound spiritual themes. This setting of Jerusalem, surge, et exue te vestibus jucunditatis is a responsory for Tenebrae, a liturgical service marking the final days of Lent. The Latin text urges Jerusalem to rise and shed its garments of joy, to don sackcloth and ashes, because the Saviour of Israel has been slain within its walls. It then calls for tears to flow day and night, a lament for the tragic events. The SATB voicing allows Zelenka to express the anguish and solemnity of this text through rich harmonic language and dramatic contrasts, making it a powerful moment within the Tenebrae liturgy.