Many people were taken with the post from Stile Antico, but I failed to identify the piece. It is Ego Flos Campi, for 7 voices, by Jacobus Clemens non Papa. It is on CPDL.
Ego flos campi et lilium convallium.
Sicut lilium inter spinas sic amica mea inter filias.
Fons hortorum et puteus aquarum viventium
quae fluunt impetu de Libano.
[Bride:] I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys.
[Bridegroom:] As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
The fountain of gardens: a well of living waters,
Which run with a strong stream from Lebanon.
Stile Antico rocks. And the work chosen is well-chosen.
While this is not chant, nor classic polyphony, I am ever intrigued that the very oldest pieces of original Anglo-American music that has ever remained in the repertoire is the same text, from the Song of Songs, which is interesting because that text was a particular favorite of the pre-Reformation era.
I am talking of William Billings' inimitable "I am The Rose of Sharon", written and published during the American Revolution:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGygzGAx998
For an autodidact, this is fine work. There is no pretense at overarching structure: each verse is handled according to its sense.
And it's wonderful to sing. And it was written for congregations to sing. In harmony, of course.
You just need to remember that Bostonians of the period (and to this day) would mentally think "snow" when the text says "rain"….
"…nor classic polyphony"
Come again, friend? Please do share what definition you give "classic polyphony". It must be rather narrow.
Adam,
My syntax was unclear: My "this" was referring to what followed in that paragraph – the Billings. I should have put * * * between the first line of my comment and what followed. The Internet can't pick up the shift in tone of voice that would have indicated a shift to a related but different item.
Oh, I see. My apologies for misreading.
Liam, the Billings tune to which you refer is a classic fuguing tune. The structure is fairly set at A(homophonic) B(simple polyphony) B. These were great teaching tools and about as artistic as American Calvin-inspired congregations were willing to countenance. Still, great stuff and very American in its rejection of artifice.