Morten Lauridsen: Lux aeterna | Britten Sinfonia

Morten Lauridsen: Lux aeterna | Britten Sinfonia | Music that warms the heart and stills the soul

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Morten Lauridsen: ...

	Morten Lauridsen: Lux aeterna Britten Sinfonia Hyperion UK, 2005 average customer review:based on 9 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

beautiful music

I am not a classical singer or even someone who is well versed in the classic music, althugh I do love Classical music and have symphony tickets. I heard a portion of this CD on public radio and knew that I had to buy it. After having this Cd for over a year, I never get tried of hearing it. I agree with one of the other reviewers; this music heals body and soul.

Music that warms the heart and stills the soul

Morton Lauridsen, so well known in choral circles for the beauty that he injects into his music, has combined with Stephen Layton and Polyphony to create a masterpiece. The blending of voices in this CD speaks to me as few have done lately. I first heard his O Magnum Mysterium several years ago and was touched by the awesome beauty of it. And then I found this, a gem of a CD that I will be listening to over and over. Don't take my word for it, however. Buy one, turn down the lights, light a candle and let Lauridsen's music speak to you. You won't be disappointed.

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Excellent Modern Choral Music

It goes without saying that American composer Morten Lauridsen is one of the finest masters of choral music today. And this CD should very well prove it.

His "Lux Aeterna" is a marvel. He uses a somewhat Romantic style for the choir, while giving the orchestra (the fine Britten Sinfonia) very dissonant structures. Overall, this 25-minute piece makes me feel spiritual in many ways: I'm an Agnostic, and I love some good church music; it makes me feel warm and comfortable inside.

The other four pieces on this CD are entirely choral. Madrigali, Six "Fire Songs" on Italian Renaissance Poems reminds me of Rachmaninov's Vespers. I don't mean the intense sequences of the Vespers; I mean the purely lyrical sections that just breathes. Madrigali is one that's not to be missed.

Ave Maria & Ubi caritas et amor. Both are about six minutes long, but just because they're short and not epic-like doesn't mean that they should be underappreciated. These two pieces are a joy to listen to: they're almost cinematic when it comes to their overall ambient atmosphere.

Ah, the O Magnum Mysterium. I played this for Wind Ensemble during High School, and when I heard the original choral version, the first thing I thought was, "I can't wait to go to the music store!". Well, that's a bit overexaggerated, but you know what I mean. This piece is, to me, the most dogmatic of the short pieces on this CD. The slow, fluid flow of the music is very enchanting. When I listen to this, I imagine a falcon or an eagle flying above the clouds at dawn. I don't know why, but I guess I have a vivid imagination.

In short, Lauridsen's music should be a must-own. The CD itself is a bit more expensive than ordinary CD's, but for the purely angelic sounds of "Lux Aeterna" and "O Magnum "Mysterium", I don't think you'll mind the price.

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Hauntingly Beautiful

I'm so happy that beautiful Christian music is still being written and recorded in such an elegant manner. The "Agnus Dei" in "Lux Aeterna" will haunt your mind as you listen to a soul singing to God.

Heavenly Voices and Instruments on Earth

The album Lux aeterna by Morten Lauridsen (Hyperion CDA67449) featuring the pure and delightful voices of the choir Polyphony, and the incredible instrumentation of the Britten Sinfonia with Stephen Layton bringing it all together is nothing short of astounding.

[...]

All in all this was a great find. I also purchased the album of the same title done by the Los Angeles Master Chorale with Paul Salamunovich, which is equally well done. All comments above apply to this album as well (RCM19705).

Willy

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