A Requiem for
modern times
In its first outing in November 2012, St Nicholas Singers performed one
of the great nineteenth century Requiem settings, that of Gabriel Faure; this
year it gives Galway audiences the chance to hear a thoroughly modern take on
this ancient form.
Morten Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna was written in 1997 and is a work
of 25 minutes’ duration in five movements, setting various Latin liturgical
texts, some of them from the Requiem Mass and all of them suffused with the
notion of light. The composer himself says “I composed Lux Aeterna in response to my Mother’s final
illness and found great personal comfort and solace in setting to music these
timeless and wondrous words about Light, a universal symbol of illumination at
all levels—spiritual, artistic, and intellectual.”
This is
a poignant, quietly serene Requiem for modern times. There is no gloom or grim
foreboding, no Day of Judgement lurking, but rather a generous radiance
captured in the lush harmonies and haunting melodies. It is a work that
is as uplifting for listeners as it is to sing, and in the glorious acoustic of
Galway’s medieval collegiate church promises to be a very special experience.
Interspersed
with the movements of the Lauridsen work will be readings from acclaimed
Galway-based poets Kevin Higgins and Susan Millar DuMars. Susan will read
excerpts from her recent publication The God Thing, in which she writes
with compassion and clarity about the terminal illness and death of a family
member and her own resulting struggle to keep faith and love alive within
herself.
St
Nicholas Singers is an all-comers group of 40-60 voices which prepares its
performances over two weekends of intensive rehearsals. It is open to all
regardless of age or experience, and new members are always welcome.
The
choir is conducted by Mark Duley and accompanied by organist Ronan De Burca.
The concert takes place in St Nicholas Collegiate Church on Sunday
17th November at 5:00pm. Tickets are 10 Euro (with concessions) and
are available at the door.
Further information available from info@scholacantorumgalway.ie