O Nata Lux - Pasadena Master Chorale (Morten Lauridsen)

[uncatila]

"To some are given the gift of tongues and others the interpretation of them"

[dragonsword343]

Even as an atheist, I find choral music one of nature`s greatest gifts to humanity

[uncatila]

@dragonsword343 what is taught in the theory of relativity seems a mystery but t is not contrary to reason. So to the the trinity, That God became man and dwelt among us is not contrary to reason

[veal1994]

To the guy that said he's heard better. God must favor you there's this choir and the only choir that is better then this one is the angel choir in heaven you moron

[DiceTunes]

I'm a sophomore in high school, and we're singing this in a choir, and I must say that this gives me such a better perspective of this song!

[towntroubadour]

It probably has to do with the video quality, but this whole thing is about a half step sharp..

[Sushi4Majdi]

This song brings back so many memories, as I sang this in High school back in 2008 with my class and with the slow speed and beautiful melody made this my favorite piece ever.

[GordonZaft]

Nice performance of my favorite Lauridsen work.

[leclairjeanm]

amazing.

[thrownsuperset]

it was okay, I've heard better.

[w6zra]

Translation:

O nata lux de lumine,> O born light of light,

Jesu redemptor saeculi,> Jesus, redeemer of the world,

dignare clemens supplicum> mercifully deem worthy and accept

laudes preces que sumere.> the praises and prayers of your supplicants.

Qui carne quondam contegi> Thou who once deigned to be clothed in flesh

dignatus es pro perditis. >for the sake of the lost ones,

Nos membra confer effici, grant us to be made members

tui beati corporis.> of your holy body.

[artisttommy123]

@deusdark i must disagree. I'm singing this piece with my choir and the ritardando's are much to slo and at the climax their going SO SLOW!!!! then at the beginning when the tenors have the melody and moving line, everyone is shouting. Very poor job. sorry.

[ciscodg]

@artisttommy123 This isnt the Master Chorale :-p "There's not a note I've written over these years in which I didn't have Paul and the unique sound he achieves with the Master Chorale in mind," Lauridsen once said. "The way phrases are put together and melody is created--I always write for them." The relationship between conductor and composer resulted in pieces such as O Magnum Mysterium, Lux Aeterna, and -- written for Salamunovich's 70th birthday -- Ave Maria.[12]

[ajskdlfla]

there t's are very hard thats all i have to say

[cpresuttis]

sang the entier book for my frehsman year of highschool and we did pretty good

[Jesusfreak962]

Glad Im not the only one From IMEA searching these songs. (:

[13jberk]

we are doing a much different version...

[69Thrasha69]

i'm gonna kill this song at the IMEA.

[DocMcFluhry]

@69Thrasha69 Was that a piece for this year?

[steversonsteve]

We practiced this for IMEA in choir, it sounds better every time we do it, but today we had the dynamics just right. theres only slight intonation things we need to work on a little more. but it is such a great piece

[GavinRoskamp]

IMEA is doing this this November. I'm scared of this song!

[tallerthanatree1]

@GavinRoskamp hey im auditioning for IMEA to! i think this song will be awesome!

[GavinRoskamp]

@tallerthanatree1 LOL I was JUST searching for this song again to practice! Are your songs "Lord of the Dance", "Things That Never Die", "O Nata Lux", and "Va, Pensiero"? And which District?

[xxdef85xx]

@GavinRoskamp I'm auditioning too! I'm thinking this one'll be good, but Va Pensiero (couldn't spell that last word:p) is pretty tough in my opinion

[JackKnaufProduction]

my school chior sang this!!!!!!! im in love with it now

[cassieferraro00]

I sang this with my high school chamber ensemble and I can't wait to perform it again! I have to say, I really enjoy being a first soprano! :p

[dancesweeti09]

This was amazing! Our high school choir sang this song on our European Concert tour :) Wonderful, wonderful job.

[lordianed]

I'm 13 and I cant wait to sing this. Im a bass

[jc4ic]

I remember singing this at Carnegie hall in NYC with my highschool and dr lauridsen was there. It was phenominal. To listen to it now still gives me chills.

[relonation]

I cannot wait to own this song with my honor choir at my high school. :) Let's hear that bass part again...

[uncatila]

O born light of light,

Jesu redemptor saeculi, Jesus, redeemer of the world,

dignare clemens supplicum mercifully deem worthy and accept

laudes preces que sumere. the praises and prayers of your supplicants.

Qui carne quondam contegi Thou who once deigned to be clothed in flesh

dignatus es pro perditis. for the sake of the lost ones,

Nos membra confer effici, grant us to be made members

(OF YOUR holy body) .

[BlastRemy]

I'm only 16 and I have to sing this song. E X C I T E D ! Tenor of course !

[relonation]

@BlastRemy you too?! Same age, except bass. ;)

[Shawmish]

awesome. i find myself singing the bass part with you guys. absolutely beautiful.

[natehamilton2001]

Wow.  The tenors are really taking a beating. There are some gorgeous tenor lines in this performance, but I think the loudest marking I have in my entire score is a mf. Where the tenors shine here, I'd say they are at FFF, but only just barely outsinging the rest of the choir. This is overall a wonderful performance, but I agree, too loud overall. The song is a "serene prayer" and should be sung accordingly.

[BADjojo559]

beautiful sooooo beautiful!!! we are singing this in our choir. i hope we sound as beautiful as this!! amazing!!

-jojo

[STRATEKOOL15]

wow tenors sound amazing in this peice...usually when you hear the song tenors are really covered by sopranos & bass but tenors really shine in this song

[scarecrowiz]

brava!

[marshcarol]

slow tempo mars the piece's inherent lyricism - prefer the Britten Sinfonia. Nice tone, though

[cpresuttis]

the bass is good

[cpresuttis]

my god we did this in chourse nad we were pretty damn good

[luke20Xhaha]

Besides the tenors belting and butchering the life out of this piece, this was a fairly accurately sung performance of this piece. The dynamics were almost spot on throughout the entire song, and I think the choir performed it as the composer intended. Overall, this was a solid 7/10. P.S. Tenors, you were sharping and flatting worse than Junior High boys going through puberty.

[wiz9329]

agreed. tenors are too loud and very pitchy.

[edwardgbell]

@luke20Xhaha I disagree. Whilst the pitch of the tenors might be a little up and down, the volume is nothing more than honouring the gorgeous clashes around the 2:20-2:40 mark. If you listen to the Provo High Concert Choir, they deliver a touching and in proportion version, however I find it FAR inferior to this version because ultimately I can translate the volume of the tenors into passion and intensity...but then I am a Tenor...and I also sing this too loudly! :)

[jmm686]

i forgot to mention that dymanics were pretty good overall, but tempo takes the prize. Many groups rush this piece, I'm not sure why, but your tempo is the best fit for what Lauridsen is trying to convey. I just wished the sopranos weren't so overpowering. Most choirs have this problem. The piece needs the four parts to have an overall balance to portray such the haunting mystery of these lines. I know is sounds very critical, but this is the best recording I've heard, so be proud!

[jmm686]

I agree 100% with what deusdark had to say. Bravissimo!

[Shea354]

Gorgeous

[pattipiusa]

I had never heard of this song before my husband was practicing it with a local group this year! It is a beautiful song

[cramsanoj]

soo beautiful...best group ever...go pasadena...

[christoperfect]

This is gorgeous in every respect of the word.

[deusdark]

As a person who's sung this with Paul S. multiple times, and have been trained by him and style, and also that Lux Aeterna was written for Paul and his style with the LA Master Chorale, I tell you that you guys are the closest to how this song is supposed to be sung. You do it beautifully, and I express my wonder. Too many people on youtube do not know how to correctly pronounce the words, nor do they know the correct areas of soft and pressure. Thank you for this performance. :-)

[bimmerboy87]

@deusdark you sang with paul? on which occassions? paul is one of my idols! he is my absolute favorite choral conductor and creates the most beautiful music! i absolutely LUV his conducting style and the tone that he gets out of each of his choirs. After listening to this recording i must agree that they r prob the closest to how this song is supposed to b sung. however, the tenors r lacking the light, head tone voice that paul likes in his choirs.

[ciscodg]

@bimmerboy87 You should see the Choral Perspective's DVD of Paul Salamunovich. It definitely brings you back. And Deusdark and I were both in his St. Charles Choir, until of course, he retired. :-(

[bimmerboy87]

@ciscodg o that is awesome that u had the opportunity to sing w/ paul! i used 2 sing in the lmu choirs under dr mary breden. do u know her? she also sang in the st charles choir so im sure u do. its really unfortunate that paul retired i only had 1 opportunity to hear u guys sing right b4 he retired. im also so sad that i never got 2 hear the la master chorale under paul; i was too young to appreciate choral music when paul was conducting them. they dont sound as good under gersoh :(

[Wally773MTG]

@deusdark who is Paul S....its just latin....and yea these guys phrase decently but there is far too much vibrato in the female voices

[ciscodg]

@Wally773MTG Paul S. is Paul Salamunovich, the conductor who's style this piece is written specifically for. Morten Lauridsen, the composer, has been quoted in saying he's written this piece and other's specifically for Paul and his Los Angeles Master Chorale.

[bimmerboy87]

@Wally773MTG to add to what deusdark as already said, this song was written by morten lauridsen for paul salamunovich and the la master chorale when he was their composer in residence. this piece is just one in a larger choral cycle lauridsen wrote for paul and the master chorale called lux aeterna. 

[Wally773MTG]

@bimmerboy87 I'm aware of lux aeterna. Just never heard of Paul S...never knew Lauridson was composer in res with the LA Master Chorale....never heard of the LA Master Chorale for that matter. I'm not well versed in american choirs because, well they pale in comparison to European Choirs. Those that I am familiar with are predominately from Chicago since I am a Chicagoan. That being said: SYMPHONY CHORUS GRAMMY FOR VERDI'S REQUIEM!!! HELL YES!!!

[bimmerboy87]

@Wally773MTG i feel the notion of euro choirs being better than american ones is subjective but i do admit that euro choirs r very good. However i think if u heard the la master chorale recordings under paul s i think u might have a diff. opinion and i feel his choirs r just as good if not better than any euro choir. Paul is a choral conducting legend and is world renowned for his contribution to the choir world and the unique tone that he gets out of his choirs.

[bimmerboy87]

@Wally773MTG there r a few recordings on youtube of this song and the entire lux aeterna choral cycle sung by the la master chorale under Paul S. there r also recordings of lauridsen's ave maria and o magnum mysterium (both written by lauridsen for paul and the la master chorale) that r also on youtube. just type in la master chorale and all of those recordings i mentioned should come up. let me know what u think, im curious 2 know how u feel they sound compared to ur fav euro choirs.