The text of Lux in tenebris--a single verse from the prologue to the gospel of John--was chosen in conjunction with the commissioning party, who requested a sacred text with universal appeal that could address the hopes and fears that all people share. The composition elaborates on the text's juxtaposition between the darkness of despair and the light of hope. Dissonant, layered ostinati built on fragments of the text illustrate the omnipresent darkness (mm. 1-25). The second half of the piece (m. 29ff.) changes key and meter, employing the entire text to emphasize the persistent shining and eternal triumph of the light. Duration: 4:30
Lux in tenebris was premiered in December 2016 by the Chamber Singers of First Community Church (Columbus, Ohio) at the church's annual Candlelight Christmas concert, and reprised for the Holy Week Tenebrae service in April 2017. . |
