Tu Es Petrus

This Composition was composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina(1525 – 2 February 1594) Missa Tu es Petrus is a parody Mass based closely on Palestrina’s own motet for the Feast of St Peter and St Paul (published in Rome in his second book of motets in 1572), from which a great deal of the musical material of the Mass is drawn. The motet, which precedes the Mass on this disc, is one of the most gloriously sunlit and uplifting pieces in all of Palestrina’s music, and its joyous splendour sets the tone for the Mass. This is based on the latin text of Matthew 16:18-19... Latin: Tu es Petrus Et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam Et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam. Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum. Quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in caelis, Et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in caelis. Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum. English: And so I say to you, you are Peter And upon this rock I will build my church And the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven And whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”