Jun 28
motet
a polyphonic choral composition on a sacred text usually without instrumental accompaniment
A motet is a sacred choral piece sung in several parts. That, at least, is about as close as one can get to a definition of ‘motet’ without excluding whole swathes of repertoire.
But as with that other hugely important European musical form, the symphony, the motet’s formal fluidity is a sign not of inherent vagueness, but of strength and health – the ability to survive and thrive in times of huge cultural shifts.
