Learned it and sang it first in high school - back in 1963. Last performed it as a senior in 1966. Saw the sheet music and recalled the bass line almost perfectly after fifty years! The classical music we learned back then - and practiced and practiced and practiced till perfect - was a gift to all of us that enriched our lives.

This Music is Perfect. First learned it in 1959 . Still remember all parts perfectly. WOOHOO

One of the great masterpieces of the Renaissance. I can still sing the tenor part by heart after forty years of not singing it. And that's not because I'm so good, but because Victoria is.

Sang this my freshman year of high school and my class begged to sing it again every year until our teacher finally let us sing again our senior year. I still remember that soprano part word for word. Easily one of my favorite songs I've ever sung.

O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord, lying in a manger! Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord. Alleluia!

There are a few compositions that instantly transport you to a different dimension as you listen. Everything in your life shrinks to nothing and all you can focus on is the music. This is one of those few.

My god this is a sublime masterpiece

That bass line in the last 4 measures is so gorgeously complimented by the feeling of anguish in the tenor line. Brilliant piece. Wow. I’m not crying, I’m... chopping onions?

This group is amazing, the pitch is perfect, the legato is perfect, the quality of sound is perfect perfectly controlled dynamics, how wonderful! They do justice to this music.

Sang this in High School Madrigals almost 40 years ago. Sang it in the Illinois State Rotunda Building a few times. We had perfected it. Still get tears in my eyes.

whenever i miss choir from my high school days i listen to this 💕 one of my favorites we ever sang.

My high school state champion choir directed by Elaine Clarke, sang this in the still incomplete Washington Cathedral in DC in 1968. For me, this was an unforgettable experience.

I do rarely polyphony with my choir, but when i choose to do so i have several pieces which i consider to be prime to demonstrate beauty of old masters. This piece is excellent representation of period.

i was once of the California State Honor Choir. I took five years of Latin to understand this I hope it continues to resonate.

No importa cuántas veces la escuche, se me ponen los pelos de punta por tanta belleza cada vez.

I first sang this over 50 years ago with the choir I was then a member of, and whose musical director knew how to get the best out of the choir, and the interpretation of this music. The nostalgia is overwhelming. I miss being able to sing like this anymore.

The suspension in the alto line at ca. 1:39-1:40 gets me every time! I will probably never tire of this piece, and especially of this moment.

For those concerned about the pitch of this performance: the sheet music shown (modern notation) is transcribed from the printed copy displayed at the end, which is presumably faithful to the original manuscript. In music of this period, there is some question about what pitches, exactly, the manuscript notes were actually intended to represent. It is likely that singers were supposed to follow the customary practice of Gregorian chant, which was sung at any pitch convenient to the singers--which is evidenced by the fact that certain contemporaneous pieces are absolutely impossible to sing at the pitches we consider those manuscript notes to represent today.

The Tenor line is so beautiful. Especially at the end. Also I noticed how there are Contralto and Countertenors singing the Alto line. Just beautiful..!

Increíble. Don Tomás Luis de Victoria.

High school for me too- 1976. My favorite of all the pieces we performed. ❤

Those suspensions give me chills every time

Just sang this at a choir concert recently and it's such a rewarding piece to learn.

Puts me into the deepest part of my connection with the Divine.

So love singing this piece for Christmas.

Lo sublime y lo celestial camina en cada notas y es tal el alborozo que siento a Dios en mi aprieto , volando en la armonía donde lo divino nos toca .

Awesome piece of choral music. First learned this in 1985 when I was a Sophomore in high school. Then got the pleasure of singing it again in college. Never gets old and the Cambridge Singers recording is outstanding.

A real gem - An enchanted harmony, perfect acoustics and a truly magical atmosphere.. !

My favorite part is at the end where the tenors and altos overlap. Stunning! 3:45 to the end

Currently listening to this in my US history class. This music pulls me into a different world entirely, one I’d love to remain in forever, however I’m stuck doing papers nonstop. Maybe this is the power of music.

This was the hardest song of the year for us in high school, definitely brought a bead of sweat to the brow at the annual madrigal dinner!

Such a beautiful song and a great soul mover God bless you and be with you all

I sang this for the first time in high school, and >30 years later every now and word is still in my heart.

When I first listened to the Soprano part in choir (4:17) I fell in love with this piece. Currently learning it in Chamber Choir at my college.

I learned this in my junior year 2004 in HS for the advanced ensemble in our chorus program for our Christmas concert, I am an alto and I still remember this song from beginning to end!

What happy memories this brings back. I learned this in high school in the early 60s. I remembered some of it. :) But I had a blast singing it again and refreshing myself. How lovely to be able to sing with others, something I've so missed since this terrible pandemic. And, of course, nothing beats The King's Singers to sing along with. Wow! Thank you so much for posting the sheet music!

What a magnificent composition.

every time I listen to this I get cold chills.... god I love it

We performed this piece for state competition in 1972. We received an "A" rating.

Tomas Luis De Victoria. Siamo ai "Piani alti" della musica Sacra. Spiritualità di altissimo livello. I brani così sono una magia di note e di armonie.

I learned this song my senior year in high school. One of my personal favorite songs

Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful!

Grande es Dios. Agradecido por haber dejado en España grandes compositores de Él mismo.

If sirens would sing this and lead me to my demise I'd be perfectly fine with that

We won state competition with this piece back in '95. Well done!

Fine piece of music. Humanity reaching out towards God.

I love this one ! Victoria's O magnum mysterium is one of my favourites to sing in choir, But sometimes I listen it while driving, singing the tenor part, and I have lot of fun :D Enjoy

Currently studying for a needle drop exam- of everything we’ve studied, this is my favorite.

O magnum mysterium, et admirabile sacramentum, ut animalia viderent Dominum natum, jacentem in praesepio! Beata Virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt portare Dominum Christum. Alleluia. O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord, lying in a manger! Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord. Alleluia!

my choir is singing this version and ACE (advanced choral ensemble) is singing the laurdisen version. its so gorgeous and im so blessed that i can sing a wonderful masterpiece inspired by my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ :)

the bass sounds amazing.. really sound like pure

I could be missing the comments talking about 3:15?? That transition into the quick and staccato style, along with the time signature change, is amazing.

"O magnum mysterium" (1572) es un motete a 4 voces de Tomás Luis de Victoria, músico español del Renacimiento. Sobre este motete Victoria escribió una misa completa con el mismo título (1592).

This song is so beautiful! The lyrics are very powerful too.

So much to love here. Brilliant voice leading. So many interesting changes in texture and interplays between lines. I absolutely melt at 2:15 as the upper lines descend together to conclude the phrase - a stand out moment for me. Just goes to show how much a composer can do with just four lines of music...sublime.

Heavenly beautiful.

It's sublime.

the ending is incredibly advanced, i love the tonal ambiguity

Wonderful way to prepare myself for a solemn high Midnight Mass

I studied this piece at conservatory and after 26 years I still remember the alto part.

I love when the harmony at: 0:38 and the one after it. "Chord Wise" (I am a new Music Major) it is such a BEAUTIFUL harmony. I love the Intervals! It reminds me of the reasons I wanted to get into writing this kind of music while everyone else writes pop. This is so beautiful and Dynamic

Last night, my Choir class and I went to a Vocal Music Festival at a church and the Orange High School sang this song! 🎤🎶⛪️ From the moment I heard them singing this, my mind was completely blown away bc of how amazingly beautiful this song is! 🥺😭✨🙏🏼💝❤️

I sang this at a wedding one time - love it.

Someone help me! This piece is too beautious!!!!!!!!!!

Sublime!!

Sang this with St Patrick's Cathedral choir in NYC in 1980s. I remembered every word and cue in my part. I love singing polyphony almost more than Mozart.

We did this song in Meistersingers at college. Great song. And you better be on pitch.

Beautiful ❤

This is my favorite Renaissance choral piece ever. I am a retired choral director. ❤

and 2:26 til the end is just…….AH!!….its haunting. I loved singing this in my chamber choir back in 2004.

We are actually performing this piece in 6 days and I’m super excited as the bass part I’m hoping to sound this mature and elegant during our performance wish me luck.

I swear it heals me somehow, listening to this.

Sang this at IL All-State 2003. Always loved the ending.

When I performed this my junior year I shed a tear as the song closed

We are singing this in my middle school choir. Love it

I remember learning this magisterial piece, still haven't forgotten it! Wonderful work!

Genial partitura,muy buen video, muy bueno ,espectacular y muy grande,el compositor Tomás luis de victoria,todas sus composiciones,son extraordinarias,una gozada SU Composición

High school choir days , I miss high school , I’m 29 now 🥰

Hearing this recalls me how much choir misses me. How many composers i'd love to interpret sheets and how powerful can be voices acappella

Preciosa obra de uno de los mejores compositores de su tiempo, Tomás luis de Victoria

Beautiful. 1semitone higher than what is shown on the piece.❤❤❤

That final cadence HOLY SHIT :O amazing

Gives me goosebumps everytime.

oh music, my sweetest joy

Our high school concert choir sang this back in early 1970s and this brings back so many beautiful memories. Considering political sensitivities that prevail today, are public schools allowed to sing beautiful religious music like this and others, like the Faure Requirem, etc? Too bad it they can't because this exposure to these hauntingly beautiful and uplifting songs has enriched my life!

El maestro...the master

Always loved singing this one, way back in the 70s.

"O magnum mysterium" (1572) is a 4-voice motet by the Spanish Renaissance musician Tomás Luis de Victoria. On this motet Victoria wrote a complete mass with the same title (1592).

This is one of those pieces of music, like Mozart's Ave Verum, that are just nearly "perfect." Beautiful in style, brilliantly crafted by the composer, a brief but succinct message and wonderful emotional effect. It resonates deeply in the heart.

3:49 and on with the tenor and alto. best part of singing this. ugh take me back!

I'm sure in the hundreds of comments this may have already pointed this out - but the base note that is written at 3:43 should be a D, not an F. Still one of the greatest pieces of music in all of history. And a beautiful recording

Perfect, nothing short of perfect.

The most moving moment to me is the part from "praesepio" to "o beata" -- and the space in between. So fraught, and so slegant.

I have sung this a few times in my life. I have always considered the transition at 2:20 to be one of the most beautiful and thrilling in music.

Arte

Thank you SO much for including the sheet music! Helped me remember a couple of parts I've gotten foggy on over the past 50 years!

No puedo parar de escuchar esta putísima maravilla

Absolutely beautiful….

Takes me back to my salad days...and much happiness!

Beautifully done!