'Videntes Stellam' - Poulenc

The second of today’s motets; the aforementioned ’Videntes Stellam’ by Francis Poulenc was one of his latter choral compositions and was composed in the midst of a religious awakening following the death of a close friend.
Poulenc’s musical language demands a lot from the choir, whether it be the use of complex harmony or fastidious note-lengths; especially with this unrelenting homophony! We look forward to singing his ‘O Magnum Mysterium’ next week.
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Videntes stellam
​Magi gavisi sunt gaudio magno:
et intrantes domum
obtulerunt Domino aurum thus et myrrham. 

When they saw the star,
​the wise men were filled with great joy
and they entered into the house.
​There to the Lord they offered gold, and frankincense and myrrh.