Saturday Morning Music Video: Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna





This is the first ten minutes of Morten Lauridsen's work Lux Aeterna, which includes the Introitus and In te, domine, sperave.  This whole work is something of a requiem, without a dies irae. 

Lauridsen is an American composer from Los Angeles/the Pacific Northwest.  This recording is by the Los Angeles Master Chorale and Sinfonia Orchestra, Paul Salamunovich, Conductor.  His style gets into my soul like few other composers do; I hope you'll enjoy it.  Close your eyes and just let it wash over you.

The translations from the Latin are thus:

Introitus 

Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them
A hymn befits thee, O God in Sion.
And to thee a vow shall be fulfilled
in Jerusalem:
Hear my prayer,
for unto thee all flesh shall come.
Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.




In te, Domine, sperave

To deliver us, you became human,
and did not disdain the virgin's womb.
having blunted the sting of death, You
Opened the Kingdom of heaven to all believers.
A light has risen in the darkness for the upright.
have mercy upon us, O Lord,
Have mercy upon us.
Let thy mercy be upon us, O Lord,
as we have trusted in thee.
In thee, O Lord, I have trusted
let me never be confounded.


 

Comments

Peter Banks said…
Great stuff... am a fan of Lauridsen's work too, my moderately uncultured way to classify it is that it is 'spiritually emotional' without being trite.

Best, PB
Thanks, PB... Good description. There's a sense of urgency in his work that makes it more than simply beautiful or lush, and that's what touches the soul. Or at least it touches mine.