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Absalon fili mi
The Tallis Scholars Lyrics


No lyrics text found for this track.

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@johanndominik2032

This is one of the most tragic stories from the Old Testament (2 Sam 13-19). King David of Israel had a lot of children. Two of them were Salomon and Absalom. Salomon should once become the successor of David. Absalom was quite rebellious and formed an army against his father in order to become king over Israel. The whole situation escalated so that father and son went into a kind of civil war with each other. David commanded his troups to catch his son but to spare his life. After a wilde battle, David won. While Absalom was forced to retreat and rode back on his mule, he got stuck with his head between the limbs of a tree and hung their helplessly until Joab, the commander of King David's army, killed him. All Israel was happy that the civil war was over and public order was restored but as soon as King David learned that his son died in the battle, he burst into tears. No matter how bad their relationship has been in recent years, no matter how much misery Absalom brought to the Israelites, it was still his son. David was full of sorrow and spoke those words that Pierre de la Rue or maybe Josquin des Prez set to music. This explains why there are only male voices. This is a father mourning for his dead son.

Pierre de la Rue (1452-1518) or Josquin des Prez (1455-1521): Absalon, fili mi
Probably written for the funeral of Philip I of Castile (1478-1506), son of Emperor Maximilian I (1459-1519).

Absalon fili mi,
quis det ut moriar pro te, Absalon?
Non vivam ultra,
sed descendam in infernum plorans.

Absalon my son,
who grants me to die instead of you, Absalon?
I shall live no more,
but go down to hell, weeping.
2 Samuel @ (cf. Job @; cf. Psalm 54:16)



All comments from YouTube:

@ipe1461

Absolutely brilliant!

@zacharybell9925

This is really incredible! Great musicians and a great composer

@strangeguitars

Perfect tempo! So many groups do this too slow.

@joelchapmanmusic

agreed!! and thank you

@Bravo69420p

nice!

@prifreitas3450

Lindo d+.

@joelchapmanmusic

:D

@Lasse3

Nice nice nice! beautiful Magnificent !    I were singing along with the bass part, and the final note, seemed too easy!  and i was like  " That is no Bb1 ! "  and i checked with a piano,  and surely it wasn't ..  you guys have it transposed up a half key, so the basses can sing the last note !     BUSTED !

@joelchapmanmusic

+Hitashi son haha, you got us! We're low basses, but we're not unhuman. Thanks for watching. :)

@Lasse3

+Joel Chapman i get what you're saying :)
 i would have to transpose it up another half note, so the last note would be a C2, the B1 is too deep :) ! but you guys got that B1 through very convincingly, and i love the 'counter tenor?' the one in the middle, excellent voice on that man!

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