Plorans plorabit (William Byrd)
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- Editor: David Fraser (added 2003-02-08). Score information: A4, 6 pages, 142 kbytes Copyright: CPDL
- Edition notes: Revised May 2008
General Information
Title: Plorans plorabit
Composer: William Byrd
Source of lyrics: Jeremiah 13:17-18
Number of voices: 5vv Voicing: ATTBB
Genre: Sacred, Motet
Language: Latin
Instruments: a cappella
Published: Gradualia I (1605), vol.1 no.28
Description: If the "king and queen" of the text are intended as a contemporary reference (which would accord completely with Byrd's genius for scoring political points through the careful selection of unimpeachable Biblical texts), this piece must have been composed in 1603-5, making it one of the very last of his Latin settings.
External websites:
Original text and translations
Latin text
Plorans plorabit, et deducet oculus meus lachrimas meas, quia captus est grex Domini.
Dic regi et dominatrici, humiliamini, sedete, quoniam descendit de capite vestro corona gloriae vestrae.
English translation
Weeping [my soul] shall weep, and mine eye shall drop tears, because the flock of our Lord is taken.
Say to the king, and to her that ruleth: Be humbled, sit down: because the crown of your glory is come down from your head.
