PSALM 55 Exauce, ô mon Dieu, ma prière

Gesualdo Consort of Amsterdam performing from a different edition

Sweelinck composed four books of polyphonic choral Psalms between 1604 and 1621. They were not intended to be sung in church services, but rather in home gatherings and by groups of amateur singers and instrumentalists (collegia musica). Thus, for many of the Psalms, the style is rhythmically nuanced, often syncopated, and full of sparkling energy; for others it is sombre and even at times expressively mournful.

DURATION: 2:00