The influence of opera on this deliciously long sacred motet is rather obvious. It is basically plotted as a sequence of emotional, expressive episodes. Much of the madrigal vocal writing of the generations before Carissimi could be described as such, but the madrigalists didn't make such sharp separations between the sections; here the clear delineations seem, if the unified address of the text is ignored, almost to suggest the entry of new characters onto a stage. The text is in fact a conventional prayer drawn from the Psalms, but the extravagant musical treatment of it suggests very strongly the conventions of theatrical music, in both length and in style. In te, Domine, in fact, seems to devotedly savor the glory of its own existence; notice that the unrelentingly ecstatic first minute of music is all on the first line of text. After a gorgeous opening sequence with both voices in mostly parallel motion, the first great flowering of melisma comes at the word in aeternam, where all three voices spray out in different directions. The first section later ends with a bold cadence and a significant dramatic period has ended. Following this, the mood briefly changes from thirsty urgency to slow, intimate balladeering before returning to full-throated, entirely operatic, and coloratura splendor. The motet has subtle elements of structure that exemplify the essential differences between Carissimi's music and that of his contemporaries, differences that make him the far greater composer. Most important is the overall unity created by the use of a melodic pattern of five and sometimes four notes. Spread throughout the piece, never dull or redundant, the motif makes its most obvious appearance at the "Gloria Patri." What really matters here is the concerted triumph of the human voice; all of Carissimi's brilliant subtleties of construction are only the stage for that. One of the most poetically giddy moments of word-painting occurs in the lavish melisma on the word "auram/ear." It must have been partly because of motets like In te, Domine that the church complained: "the music performed at Sant'Apollinare [Carissimi's parish/concert-hall] was too elaborate and too long." It certainly far transcends any polemic utility, as do many of Carissimi's splendidly overdone motets. Yet despite evidence in documents of increasing pressure, the composer was mostly left in peace. Perhaps it was appreciated that better religious propaganda would be difficult to make, or perhaps the music was just seductive enough to silence would-be naysayers.

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