When a member of our audience, Robert Wall, requested this piece, I thought, “Oh, that’s a gorgeous motet. Let’s put that on.” But I had no idea how deeply it would affect me when I listened to it. You see, the motet tells the Biblical story of the Israelites who have been exiled from their land of Zion and are sitting by the waters of Babylon. They are sick at heart, missing their homeland. Listening to this very poignant lament, it immediately resonated with me since we are all in exile right now, and we wish we could be back in our normal lives. Palestrina masterfully captured a strong feeling of longing, of sadness for the loss. Ultimately, for me, hearing the piece was a catharsis. Maybe it will be for you, too.

– Dennis Keene

PALESTRINA Super Flumina Babylonis

Voices of Ascension
Dennis Keene, Artistic Director

Super flumina Babylonis illic sedimus et
flevimus, cum recordaremur Sion.
In salicibus in medio ejus suspendimus
organa nostra.

By the waters of Babylon, there we sat and
wept, when we remembered Zion.
On the willow trees in their midst we hung up
our harps.

from the Delos recording Prince of Music ℗ 1999 Delos
The singers in this performance are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO.