Tristis Est Anima Mea (SATB)

The text of Tristis est anima mea is the second responsory of the Tenebrae for Maundy Thursday. The opening lines are from Matthew 26:38, where Christ is in the Garden of Gethsemane and soon to be dragged away from his disciples. The opening figure is followed by a single voice that emerges from within the choir, and gradually transitions to four-part polyphonic layers. The return of the opening theme is followed by a chant-like texture in the female voices, and the closing aleatoric passage alludes to Christ’s foretelling of his betrayal and eventual crucifixion. The work is dedicated to Ellissa Sayampanathan, a dear friend who has very kindly included this piece as a premiere in Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge.

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