Drei Motetten, Op. 39 (Mendelssohn)

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Three Motets, Op. 39, by Felix Mendelssohn are three sacred pieces for women’s voices and organ. They were written in 1830 for different liturgical occasions and later published together in 1838.

In 1830 Mendelssohn visited the church of Trinità dei Monti at the top of the Spanish Steps in Rome and heard the nuns sing. He decided to write music for their voices, and he composed three motets that year: Veni Domine, Laudate pueri, and O beata et benedicta. In the 1838 publication he replaced O beata et benedicta with Surrexit pastor bonus.

The three motets are:
- Veni Domine (Come, O Lord our God): a Latin text for the Fourth Sunday in Advent, in G minor for SSA voices and organ, about 4 minutes long.
- Laudate pueri Dominum (O ye that serve the Lord): uses Psalm 113:2 and Psalm 128:1, in two sections—first in E-flat major (Allegro moderato assai) and second in A-flat major (Adagio)—for SSA voices and organ, about 6 minutes.
- Surrexit pastor bonus (The Shepherd blest is risen): a hymn for the Sunday of the Good Shepherd, in G major for four solo and choral parts (SSAA) and organ; the final section, Alleluja, adds eight voices, about 9 minutes.

Recordings and performances:
- A 2005 recording by the Kammerchor Stuttgart, directed by Frieder Bernius, was part of a complete set of Mendelssohn’s sacred music.
- Earlier, the Westphalian Kantorei conducted by Wilhelm Ehmann performed the works in the early 1970s; their recording was released in 1972.