O Magnum Mysterium (Morten Lauridsen)

[kuntrabida]

@dadrummond:Try to listen from 0:58 to 1:40 and tell me if that sounds like there are more than 100 people. Maybe the echo effect inside the theater may have contributed to the illusion that there seems to be twice o thrice as many singers. And if you must know(in case you don't) , members of this choir are alumni of University of Santo Tomas, Philippines (twice winner of the Choir of the World, Llangollen) and winner of other World Choir Title as well . in short , this choir is really good.

[bandilang]

@kuntrabida There are so many loosers/jealous entity here in this world and one of them is dadrummond.lolz

[dadrummond]

This video is a fraud -- the audio comes from a different source than the video. The audio soundtrack is a recording from 1998, Los Angeles Master Chorale & Paul Salamunovich (>100 singers, search 'o magnum mysterium lamc'), with some synchronization gaps. There are some synchronization artifacts in the video which drive it out of sync with the unmodified LAMC version (about 1:25), and some artifacts of synchronization -- for example, the full-white "camera flash" at 0:45. Ugh.

[aevangelista]

@dadrummond: Nice try Sherlock, but no cigar. What you're describing is way beyond me.



[DSpaulding1950]

the richness of the voices gives the impression that there are at least twice as many singers; very well done

[vandizzlmanizzle]

One of my favourite pieces.

Thanks for a great performance. Great control. Would love to hear a studio recording of this group do it.

[YzdaRumGon]

Great performance, although i wish the *camera click* *flash* *camera click* wasn't going on the whole video

[nailedwit]

I wish the sound were better. But that's a quibble. This is beautiful.

[mattmakescovers]

At first, my jaw dropped. Now it's dislocated.

[lexiie123]

Amazingamazingamazing, it gives me chills everytime I watch this video. I want my chamber choir to do this arrangement!

[soohun123]

GOLD MEDAL performance and great voices doing justice to the music. Mr. Lauridsen would have been proud. There is a competition in Hollywood Choir Festival, I guess, interesting. VIVA chorus music!

[kuntrabida]

Excellent interpretation. For me, this performance is so spectacular because after I finished listening, the sound still reverberates in my mind, must be the superb overtones. Congratulations and happy 400th year anniversary to the University of Santo Tomas(UST, Philippines) . Mabuhay.

[ckmiller66]

Excellent pitch all the way through, good dynamics and tone quality. Nicely done!

[gobeel2183]

Lufet!!

[doodoobeatlenomoar]

That was really good. but seriously. How many pictures did that guy need to take? o.o

[bandilang]

One of the greatest choir of all time.That is super duper galing!

[lespaul13141516]

music best heard with eyes closed, not while taking pictures...

dumbass

[Jam33541]

DARN?!?!?!? THEY HAVE AMAZING VOICES?!?!? :P :)

[nakonaman3122]

they are so good!! perfect! especially the basses. i can clearly hear the last note of the bass 2. lower D. damn..

[oakbank1953]

really nice; polyphony were the first that I heard do this, but this version is just as good!

[dificil2112]

Wow! That's just...... Mmm!

[lumbee888]

I love this piece. The choral texture is exquisite

[kagwapanako61510]

nice kaayo

[ashbashn7]

Spectacularly performed.

[MrBeowulf54]

Nice to think this was not inspired by something greater than man (not!). It's not scientific proof of God (there is no solid scientific proof but we can know Him by His works) but it is a glimpse of the Eternal Beauty.

[mijamz]

at the risk of this becoming a debate, which I do not intend or plan on commenting after this. Scientific proof is in the air you breath. The fact that you were able to type this message is proof. Science didn't just create itself.

[MsMsshadow]

@mijamz no dude, that's not a proof :) that's nonsense

[colinnewman1962]

I see your point, SlightlyCracked. It's all very well trying to [dis]prove the existence of God through logic, but how can someone set a sacred text like so exquisitely this if there is no God? It doesn't make any sense. And not just this work, but all kinds of art - visual and auditory

[popups46okay]

Are this people filipinos? I can't believe this... they are like 20 people.. and they sounded like there are a hundred people singing this.

[stryker704]

@popups46okay they're former members of the UST (University of Santo Tomas) Singers and they're world champions. They won the Llangollen Choir of the World competition this year 2010. They have bigger lungs than most. :-)

[muscleboi4use]

@stryker704 Thank you for the information... they are fantastic... every aspect of this choir is superb...

[skypiercer03]

666 likes

[ratherfam]

Latin text O magnum mysterium, et admirabile sacramentum, ut animalia viderent Dominum natum, jacentem in praesepio! Beata Virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt portare Dominum Christum. Alleluia. English translation O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord, lying in a manger! Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord. Alleluia!

[lisat13able]

I believe, of all the ensembles I've heard perform this magnificent piece, this group is the best...just stunning! I agree-with slightly cracked...proof of God..in us...expressed by us-in a through all of creation.

[SniffSniffTenorTenor]

Those clashes at 2:55 and 3:20 send shivers up my spine... beautiful! :)

[bandilang]

supreme beautiful

[57rocki]

Stunning

[jeffdrown]

wow. they sound fantastic !!

[mradaChris]

beautiful!

[cyeh2]

Wonderful sound like that in heaven!

However, first class singers singing in front of third class audience!

Why some people would use their cameras with flash or make noise in a concert like this?

It's shame!

[couchpillow100]

@cyeh2 i aggree its not cool

[ldg518]

I hope that our choir sounds this good when we finally sing this during Mass! I LOVE this piece!

[c1skypilot]

Extraordinary choral sounds that depict the indescibable language the endof music!

[cricket2001]

Their releases are so good.

[Margarthopp]

I love how they make the whole hall ring. This is such a beautiful song sung so well. I just wish people weren't coughing and shuffling around so much.

[Victor12ful]

Awesome, beautiful, one of the best rendition I heard. Congratulations to the singers and of course to the director for fabulous interpretation.

[jbvisel21]

This song music be proof of a divine spark within

[bandilang]

This is the best rendition of Magnum Mysterium in the whole universe. Nothing can beat this one with a bunch of choristers around. They are less than 20 members or so so to speak

[tuckeyman]

This is one of the few pieces of music that have brought tears to my eyes.

[unome4rlz]

I love this piece with a chamber choir but it is also really awesome with a concert choir. If you like this you should listen to the NAU Shrine of the Ages Choir, they sang it in a church in Soweto, South Africa. This church was instrumental in the fight against apartheid and the bullet holes and broken altar are proof of this. You should listen to them sing it the entire choir is so emotionally connected to each other and the conductor. Not to say that this one wasn't just as awesome!

[hosenpooper]

lovely

[jc4ic]

@clivepom not everybody knows to call it a movement. So if they want to say song they can day song. You don't have to be snooty about it. Just sayin

[Clivepom]

Stop calling it a "song"...ridiculous

[lamasmariah]

It should be slower, right @canaltamayo ? but anyway is awesome with only few ppl. gr8 job!

[SimsVideoWatcher1]

they sound like angels for real

[MrArnmeister]

anyone who had a copy of this song???pls give me a pyesa

[shechaiyah]

The day comes when you have to expect to see behavior that conforms to ideology. Peace-able.

[17ANIMA]

palitan tayo ng piyesa :)

[Shellbell17ily]

this is so gorgeous!

great job, especially sopranos..

it's hard to not go sharp on this song and i commend you on it

[anakinfan12002]

From 3:43 on is "Wow!!!!"

[xoeeeee]

3:43 :O to die for!

[patthegreek]

an excellent rendition of the work to say the least

the choir sounds very different to the version "O magnum mysterium best christmas carol ever" set to flowers, where the sound is not so sweeping but certainly as grand.

[HollieDollieWood]

We're singing this in choir x

You's are great xx

[MrArnmeister]

@HollieDollieWood can we have a copy of this song..????

[Oslosfantasi]

Nydelige stemmer

Se på mine utrolige videoer. Du vil sikkert bli sjokkert

[kezz1662]

Outstanding in all aspects, Control, dynamic contrast and tempo. Super direction my I congratulate you on your perfect attention to detail - no voices coming in to early or standing out just one beautiful unit. I only wish I was there to listen to your humbling performance.

[jaymox]

@kezz1662 Humbling is the perfect comment. Let's forget the noise of the camera - this person just wanted to capture this experience in the wrong medium. UST Alumni singers, your performance is definitive. Others may equal it, none will surpass, A miracle of talent.

[MrArnmeister]

ganda2x i hpoe mkita ko sila sa personal at marinig kantahin ung song

[grafurg]

veramente bravi!!!

[FurorVikingorum]

This is one of the best perfomances of this song that I have heard. Well done.

[jeromealvarez27]

so Far this performance Was d most ... beautiful i've ever heArd And seen

[GreatDestroyer90]

Ah, I may not have gotten to sing this song with our choir, but I enjoyed this song so much in band. It's an absolutely trying piece for any group, but man is there an unspoken beauty about this song. This was a great performance I just felt it odd how quick the decrescendo was just after the climax. That's the first rendition of the piece I've heard that has it so dramatic lol.

[bsarnold1]

wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful

[MegRozinski]

Absolutely beautiful. However, this video is sadly a perfect example of why flash photography shouldn't be allowed in a choral setting. I am a huge fan of choral music and the constant noise and lights of the cameras took away from the ethereal music...it still was unbelievable, though. Angelic.

[EisforEDMUND]

you don't understand... they're filipino.

these flashes are nothing compared to their own family gatherings where many, many more camera flashes are experienced. :P

[eddiesalama]

I stumbled on this music at Winchester Cathedral on Christmas day - it is extraordinary and sublime.

[stephenb1962]

Excellent!,well done- you sing this lovely piece beautifully. Very little wibble wobble vibrato- its not needed, just the pure sound of the voice. Kings College Cambride sang this at Chritmas -its well worth a listen.

[dwf56]

O ~ AWE ~ what a wonderful performance.

[benbenwhy20]

the climax of this song is just song beautifully done by this choir. They really could bring out the meaning behind the song.

[almostloverx3]

we're learning this in my choir now. gives me goosebumps. absolutely beautiful.

[shannylovedollface]

e just sang this for our winter concert it sounds absolutely beautiful i love it so much!

[polarpenda]

absolutely beautiful!

i can remember singing it.

thank you!

[GabHed]

Absolutely beautiful! One of the best performances of this piece that I have heard. This is quite a difficult piece, but they sing it softly, sensitively and expressfully.

[zot500]

Awesome!

[hennypenny51]

Beautifully done. Thank you to this choir.

[strid8]

Our choir did this years ago. It's very beautiful; and fun to to sing. I wish somebody would post Lauridsen's Ubi Caritas. We did that too and it's a gorgeous piece.

[kgbeames]

Top drawer.

Thank you.

[ALittleHotAir]

Our school choir sang this yesterday at the carol service, i was in tears. Its lovely, thanks for posting

[sierracheyenne22]

HAHA, dude peanut, i was thinking the exact same thing!

i sing this song in choir. VERY difficult. Very gorgeous, simply amazing. :)

[peanutismint]

Who was the guy taking photos with an incredibly loud SLR??! There's a time and a place, dude, and a choral recital where the music verges on silence at some points is not one of them.

[jonatud123]

haaayyyy, salamat....... ang ganda...

[CantorNeoplatensis]

O magnum mysterium is #1 on Choral music lovers top list (Facebook)

HAPPY WORLD CHORAL DAY

[Brucis51]

Just wonderful!!!

[toscarminha]

And the winner is.. !!! The best performance of this piece!!

[heathersgayyyyy]

I love this piece:) I;m playing it in orchestra, and it is definitely a difficult piece to get everything perfectly right:)

But i gotta say, high school orchestra's should not be doing this piece unless they have good vibrato and like only 10% of our orchestra do:(

[rcflem]

Uh....

Vibrato doesn't have a place in this song.... vocal range, mix and breath is 100% more important than some highschooler who can wiggle his chords around.

[jonatud123]

hmf..

[heathersgayyyyy]

@rcflem I don't understand your instant offense to a highschool orchestra playing this piece.

[rcflem]

@heathersgayyyyy It's nothing to do with being in high school, or being in an orchestra. My HS choir performed this.

what I said: vibrato is not supposed to be a part of this song. technically it's because the harmonies are too dense to support any variance in pitch.

[OCdrummer213]

really amazing.

[SearchingforSIMON]

pretty amazing for such a small group!

[mttgil11p]

wow

[shot000111]

wow!!!! got goosebumps! bravo!

[DrThunder88]

Great performance! Their dynamic contrast really brings the piece to life. It must have been amazing to see in person.

The audience could stand to STFU. I know the camera's microphone is probably omnidirectional, but have some decorum, audience members.

[moviemaker3000]

Totally gorgeous, made me cry.

[jnmilburn]

Very well done. My church choir has done this a few times, and I gotta tell you this is not easy to sing.

[ambuurrrrr]

agreed. my choir in high school is singing it now. we sound so good though! :]

[jive0in]

so is mine.

[cpoole77]

This is one of the best renditions of this I have heard on the internet. Absolutely excellent!

[CantorNeoplatensis]

nice outfit and beautiful singing 5*

[heathersgayyyyy]

i want a choir to sing me to sleep every night with this piece:)

[RichmondJim]

Now if only there wasn't some butt snapping photos such that the shutter is audible in the recording!

[beatrixsnapefan]

sheets please?? I sing in a choir and we are singing tomas luis de victoria's o magnum mysterium but I really enjoy this one from Morten Lauridsen :)

very peacefull ^^

[yahsuy]

grbe ang galing

[salistheone]

our choir does it better

[SlightlyCracked15]

This song must be proof of God

[skoalman666]

Not really.... It's definitely proof of Morten Lauridsen's ability though.

[nathanyamaha465]

@skoalman666 O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord,

 lying in a manger! Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord. Alleluia!

[freshhh1994]

.... nah

[sportnut00]

Lovely.

[heathersgayyyyy]

believe it or not, but we're playing this in orchestra. beautiful:)

[bandilang]

inspire the world filipino choirs

[thetangoers]

I sang this in an All County chorus. Simply an amazing song. (:

[08dressageGal]

i'm so excited to sing this song in choir! Hearing this makes me even more excited. they did such a great job too.

[teaandcakeordeath]

the beginning overwhelms me...every time.

[MolliLollii]

we are singing this in our "jazz" choir group in school. It sounds beautiful.

[ricadoafonso21]

more pure and not sow strong...sopranos,its too much when you go up..nice tenors and basses!!bat good work you heve now...

[Shizukasama22]

My concert choir is going to sing this come December. We have a huge choir (69), but our problem is the opposite of yours shmalpie: our choir doesn't seem to be able to handle any other dynamic volume besides forte...

[coookalo]

monterey high school varisty choir? because that sounds similar to monterey choir :)

[Aberjan]

those bloody camera beeps are horrible.

[shmalpie]

I LOVE this piece. Our HUGE concert choir sang this my senior year and it didn't have nearly as much sound as these guys. Amazing performance.

[Kntrabssi]

Listen to that applause. This group totally deserves it. Your contrasts in dynamics are terrific, as well as your tone, blend, interpretation... everything! 5 stars, easy.

[WeIsRoleModels]

This is by far one of the very best renditions of this piece that I have ever seen/heard. Very, very nice job you guys. This video never gets old.

[davefaulks]

This choral piece is one of the most heavenly I've heard - and this choir certainly does it justice.

[adictofmusic]

Gives me goosebumps!

[destotheman09]

the choir and band versions of this are amazing

[haddayr]

This has to be the most beautiful rendition of the piece I've ever heard.

[goku3882]

best rendition ever...

Philippine madrigal singers also one of the best in the world.....

Filipinos are born to be a singers

[Eucrypta]

我 認 為 這 是 最 好 的！ 真 的 天 國 音 樂 ！

[theresa725]

This song was one of my fondest memories of singing in various choirs. Beautiful!!! The blend and dynamics are just gorgeous.

[NMSChorusDirector]

The acoustics in the hall probably help, but the vowel blending is lending quite a bit, too. Nevertheless, this is obviously a WELL led group!

[tubaking4801]

How...

[BellaLibellula]

It could be that this beautiful balance is achieved in part by the distribution of each member--male-female-male-femal­e and so on. I'm tempted to say that it is more common to see each part in large sections--sopranos in one group, altos in another, baritones, et cetera, all separated in their respective groups, which seems less effective after you hear this piece as sung by this choir.

I am learning this song at my school's Select Choir. It is absolutely beautiful and not difficult to read!

[AcaciaLove77]

we sight read this once in our chorale

and i agree

sections never help

unless you need them to work out each part

mixed order produces a better sound

[punkblonde007]

this is a peice where "dissonance" is the song's star. :) beautifully sung.

[TheFlutegirl15]

we are singing this piece in chamber singers this semester, and i love it so far. i have to say that the A and G# between the altos and sopranos is amazing with this group, they do such a wonderful job, it makes my jaw drop each time i listen to it.

[katieex3music]

I never comment on youtube videos, but I had to comment on this one because this choir is INCREDIBLE. Whoa. So much blending, fullness and power for such a small chorus. How does that even happen?! Never heard anything like it before.

[jadevi]

try also Ave Maria By Lauridsen... its also very captivating....

[yelbroas]

ang galing... ok lang naman yung tempo ng song... hmmm kaya lang na over power ng sop yung choir... kc this repertoire medjo mahina lang d gnung ka lakasan... kaya lang sa simula palang ang lakas na kagad... so comment q lang naman pero ang ganda ng kanta...

[emji7element]

WHAT a great choir especially for such a small group....good job!!!

[larrykc24]

this video is capturing a lot of attention everywhere. :)

[ryanmurphy525]

O magnum mysterium, et admirabile sacramentum, ut animalia viderent Dominum natum jacentem in praesepio!

Beata Virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt portare Dominum Christum. Alleluia!

O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord lying in a manger!

Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord. Alleluia!

[gaetanproductions]

extraordinary touching and powerful! Oh great mystery! Bravo to the choir you are great!

[jordangossman1]

I was with the Minnesota Ambassadors of Music EUROPE TOUR 2008 and we sang this piece in Venice, Italy at St. Mark's Basilica, and people who were walking by were crying because of how amazing this piece is.... LAURIDSEN IS TRULY A MASTER AT HIS CRAFT!!! This has to be one of my favorite pieces of all time!

[Ktwins08]

We sang this song in my choir, and we all loved to sing it!! It is so pretty!!

[AcaciaLove77]

this is probably the most amazing piece written, we sang this for fun at one of our schools last days and even then it caught my heart, it gives me shivers to listen to it and make me want to cry....

[marlinward87]

def agree.. i heard a high school sightread this at a national ACDA convention... OMG!! been in love with this song every sense!!!

[soaringleap]

Does anyone know if there is currently a recording of this anywhere?

[LwrncMJ]

Of this particular group? I don't know, but I'd definitely recommend the Polyphony recording.

[fitzgerald1337x]

do you know where i could find that version online, if anywhere?

[LuthienMoonLight]

This particular's group performance, most likely not. There are however recordings of the piece O Magnum Mysterium by different groups available. LwrncMJ below recommended the Polyphony recording, and there is also a recording by Dale Warland Singers on their album Lux Aurumque.

Hope that helps :)

[boingy65]

That was a flawless performance. Sounds just like (if not better!!!!) than the Los Angeles Master Chorale who made that song legendary!!! I loved it! Being a Filipino myself, I sang that song in high school in a group that was, and still is, predominantly Filipino-American. Hearing an ALL Filipino group sing THAT song BLEW ME AWAY!! AWESOME!!!

[TimonyErt03]

This is a gorgeous piece!

[christianmusican]

Awsome Job!!! (would love to hear this group do "O Nata Lux")

[sigmaluv]

I actually shed a tear while listening to this. This is my FAVORITE Choral piece. It's almost too good to sing. I rather just sit and listen everytime I hear it.

[aifor17]

shivers, i love this song

[WanderlustAfar]

I've been listening to this choir's renditions of Morten Lauridsen since i was 16, and I'm still in live with their execution. So perfect. I performed this in a choir and cannot rightly say that we did it justice,

[clk9123]

Im singing this in a choir of 53 thats going to Europe, and it is such an amazing piece. We're lucky enough to be able to preform these in several cathedrals in Europe. The acoustics will be astounding Im sure :)

[bajstuggummi]

"beata virgo...." makes me wanna cry everytime! so beautiful and this choir sings it with such soulfulness! and so very clean at the same time, this song doesn't afford any flat notes. this is great!

[bandilang]

the soulific and the majestic blending of voices.thank you very much

[agentangel11]

is this song for chrisrmas?

[harzroller]

Si.