Music of the Week

Adagio in G minor (The Beatitudes), Tomaso Albinoni (attrib.) (1671-1751)

Sung by the Choir of New College, Oxford, directed by Edward Higginbottom

The Sermon of the Beatitudes by James Tissot (11836-1902). Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum.

This short composition has featured in flim scores as diverse as Gallipoli, Rollerball and Manchester by the Sea. Its attribution to the Baroque Venetian composer, Tomaso Albinoni, has been hotly debated. 
Regardless of who composed it, the Adagio is a deeply moving rendition of the Beatitudes.

Beati pauperes spiritu quoniam ipsorum est regnum caelorum
Beati mites quoniam ipsi possidebunt terram
Beati qui lugent quoniam ipsi consolabuntur
Beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt iustitiam quoniam ipsi saturabuntur
Beati misericordes quia ipsi misericordiam consequentur 
Beati mundo corde quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt
Beati pacifici quoniam filii Dei vocabuntur
ati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iustitiam quoniam ipsorum est regnum caelorum.
 

 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. 
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. 
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 
Blessed are the clean of heart: they shall see God. 
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice's sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.