Factum est silentium
Richard Dering
Recording
Westminster Abbey Choir, James O'Donnell, Robert Quinney (organ)
- Album
- The Feast of St Michael and All Angels at Westminster Abbey
- Year
- 2007
- Period
- Sacred choral
- Listen
Painting
Sandro Botticelli
Virgin and Child with Two Angels, 1485–95
The piece
Dering published this motet for six voices and continuo in his Cantica sacra of 1618, after years in Italy. Its text is the Benedictus antiphon at Lauds on Michaelmas Day, from Revelation: silence in heaven while Michael fought the dragon.
The recording
Westminster Abbey Choir under James O'Donnell, with Robert Quinney at the organ, recorded it in the Abbey in February 2007 as the opening track of an album of music for Michaelmas. Gramophone found the style under O'Donnell "forthright and spirited".
Other recordings
The Cambridge Singers under John Rutter recorded it for Collegium (COLCD113).