Verbum Caro Factum Est

John Sheppard's Verbum caro factum est is perhaps the most magnificent of his Responds, as befits its Christmas context. The music alternates between polyphony and plainchant, and the text is one that lies at the very heart of the Christmas story: "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us". The polyphony is scored for SATTBarB, covering a span of over three octaves, and in the final chord the top voice divides into three parts.