6/1/2023 0 Comments Sublime songs![]() ‘Two of the selections are first recordings: Ex Maria virgine, the major work at 38 minutes, and Marienhymne. This refers to Mary the Mother of God-‘The Eternal Feminine’-and should be sung with great radiance and femininity.” The other, mainly unaccompanied, works reveal Tavener’s response to various poetic texts that also praise the Virgin Mary. Timothy Brown, conductor (Clare College Choir)Īdmired for the sheer beauty of his meditative and mystical music, John Tavener writes of his Ex Maria Virgine, which was dedicated to HRH the Prince of Wales and HRH the Duchess of Cornwall in joyful celebration of their marriage: “I have set both familiar and less well known texts, and linked them with an expanding and contracting phrase ‘Ex Maria Virgine’. Although O nata lux (a movement from the larger work Lux aeterna) and O magnum mysterium have been recorded numerous times, they never have been done better-or more movingly-than here.’ – 10/10 Classics Today ‘If I were Morten Lauridsen and my work was in the artistic care of a choir like the Elora Festival Singers I would feel that my creative vision was in exceptionally good hands. O magnum mysterium, for a cappella chorus, is a setting of a Christmas text that has inspired composers from Victoria to Poulenc. The Mid-Winter Songs for chorus and piano are a stunning example of compositional virtuosity. The unforgettable final movement is the now-famous Dirait-on. The refined Les Chansons des Roses employ a design reminiscent of the formal gardens, filled with roses, found in the grounds of the great French châteaux. ![]() O nata lux, perhaps Lauridsen’s most popular work, is a serene evocation of heavenly light, while the searingly intense and technically demanding Madrigali inhabit a more feverish and earthy realm. ![]() Characterized by long, arching and highly expressive lines, his works are enjoyed by performers and audiences worldwide. Morten Lauridsen is America’s preeminent composer of choral music.
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