Aspice Domine de sede, motet for 5 voices (SATTB)

Aspice Domine de sede sancta tua is a five-voice cantus firmus motet by the renaissance English composer William Byrd (1543-1623). Byrd's publication Cantiones sacrae of 1589 contains the work, but was circulating in manuscript form as early as a decade before.

The opening of Aspice Domine is particularly polyphonically complex. In utilizing three ideas on 'Aspice Domine', 'quia facta est' and 'desolata civitas', he quickly entangles himself in a triple polyphonic snarl. Extricating himself from this, he circumspectly avoids compound counterpoint for the rest of the work.

This is an energetic and fast-moving work. Contrasting passages move rapidly in the earlier sections before the lengthy repetendum completes the work in forty-three semibreves. Byrd utilizes a theme from his cantus firmus motet Libera Me Domine (with which Aspice Domine has been compared and contrasted). Unusually, the soprano does not take the cantus firmus at any stage during this work, allowing it to create a strong sense of melody.