Sacred Music from TAC, #5

Sicut Cervus and Sitivit Anima Mea by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. These two motets have for their text Psalm 42. Sicut Cervus is much better known than the other, but they are meant to go together and are both beautiful pieces of music.





Latin:
Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes,
ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus.

Sitivit anima mea ad Deum fortem vivum:
quando veniam et apparebo ante faciem Dei?
Fuerunt mihi lacrymae meae panes die ac nocte,
dum dicitur mihi quotidie: ubi est Deus tuus?

English:
As the deer longs for the founts,
so does my soul long for thee, God.

My soul has thirsted after God, the living God:
when shall I come and appear before the face of God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
while it was said unto me: where is your God?