Talk:Laetus Hyperboraeam volet hic concentus (Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina)

• Posted by: Vaarky 04:35, 7 September 2008 (PDT)

Thanks for posting this! It's interesting to read its history too.

I had one question, though--isn't this what would be considered a secular motet instead of, as noted, a sacred motet?

• Posted by: Choralia 04:37, 8 September 2008 (PDT)

According to the wikipedia's article on sacred music, "Religious music (also sacred music) is music performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence."

The definition of "religious" is much more complex (see article), and the following summary is suggested:

In summary, it may be said that almost every known culture involves the religious in the above sense of a depth dimension in cultural experiences at all levels — a push, whether ill-defined or conscious, toward some sort of ultimacy and transcendence that will provide norms and power for the rest of life. When more or less distinct patterns of behaviour are built around this depth dimension in a culture, this structure constitutes religion in its historically recognizable form. Religion is the organization of life around the depth dimensions of experience — varied in form, completeness, and clarity in accordance with the environing culture.

Based on the above considerations, I agree with Vaarky about re-classifying this work as "secular".