Anyone know this composer and/or work?

[jbuck919]

Well I do now. It is not the first time I have never heard of a musician whom everyone else here probably takes for granted, although his Wikipedia article sounds suspiciously as though he wrote it himself.

I would not call my beloved sister and her husband hugely knowledgeable classical music fans, but when they indulge they get it right. (Some of you may have a vague memory of Jeanne because she kept you posted during my long and almost fatal hospitalizations in 2007 and 2008.) I am copying her entire e-mail from yesterday and then a YouTube of the piece in question, which I like. It is unusual for me to enjoy a new piece in a traditional style. If you don't know it already, I hope you enjoy it too.

I forgot to tell you we were going to see the Vermont Symphony Orchestra again...which we did tonight. Part of the program included the Vermont Symphony Chorus. They performed something unique to Vermont...something you would not be familiar with, then they did Lux Aeterna by Morten Lauridsen. Pretty amazing piece. Then the orchestra performed Schubert's Symphony #9 “The Great”. Fun, also. We had a great evening.

[IcedNote]

He is a god in the choral world. Like....untouchable. His influence on the modern choral sound is incalculable.

-G

[jbuck919]

He is a god in the choral world. Like....untouchable. His influence on the modern choral sound is incalculable.

-G

Thanks, Garrett. In a glaring piece of obvious and shameless self-promotion, there is actually a separate Wikipedia article on the video Shining Night: A Portrait of Composer Morten Lauridsen.

[lennygoran]

Well I do now. It is not the first time I have never heard of a musician whom everyone else here probably takes for granted, although his Wikipedia article sounds suspiciously as though he wrote it himself.

You're wrong on that-I never heard of either him or any of his music! Regards, Len

[maestrob]

He is a god in the choral world. Like....untouchable. His influence on the modern choral sound is incalculable.

-G

Hi Garrett! After hearing this beautiful and moving piece, I would agree. Many thanks, John, for posting it.

[jbuck919]

He is a god in the choral world. Like....untouchable. His influence on the modern choral sound is incalculable.

-G

Hi Garrett! After hearing this beautiful and moving piece, I would agree. Many thanks, John, for posting it.

It makes me feel better that I introduced our chief choral music expert to something new. Incidentally, though the text is mainly from the Requiem Mass, there are inexplicable diversions. At one point he sets a portion of Veni Sancte Spiritus, the sequence for Pentecost, and there is something else in there that even I don't recognize. Lovely work nevertheless.