Today’s Video of the Day is a performance of Clive Osgood’s ‘O Quam Tristis’ taken from his Stabat Mater. It is performed by soprano Grace Davidson, violinist Jack Liebeck, the Choir of Royal Holloway and the London Mozart Players under conductor Rupert Gough. Their performance of Osgood’s complete Stabat Mater is set for release on 7 March.

The Stabat Mater was originally a 13^th century hymn to the Virgin Mary and describes Mary, Mother of Jesus, standing at the foot of cross on which he is dying. Osgood’s work was composed in 2009 and divides the original twenty stanzas of the text into ten movements.

The programme notes for this performance describe the third movement, ‘O quam tristis’, as providing the heart of the Stabat Mater. The soprano soloist embodies the voice of Mary as she sings of her distress.