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The music changes to a lilting triple meter as the choir sings “Allelujah!” This is an unexpected yet exciting conclusion to the piece, and it reminds me of a chorus of angels proclaiming the birth of Jesus. In 5th intervals, the third of the chord is missing this crucial note determines if the harmony is major or minor, so open 5ths don’t have any harmonic indication (which leaves the listener in suspense). *Music theory: Victoria’s use of open 5th intervals perpetuates a sense of awe in the music. Rather, each voice echoes and imitates what has already been sung, which helps create the somber atmosphere.
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The smooth changes between major and minor harmonies add to the sense of mystery and wonder, and the slow rhythm forces the listener to appreciate the importance of the words. Each voice subtly enters, shifting harmonies and painting layers of sound as the text introduces the “great mystery” of Jesus’s birth. The electric opening of O Magnum Mysterium sets the tone for the rest of the piece. “And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.Īnd whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” – Luke 1: 42-43 Music Nativity by Hans Baldung, 1520 The second half of the text relates to the words spoken by Elizabeth when she welcomes Mary, the mother of Jesus, into her home: Alleluia English translation O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the newborn Lord, lying in a manger Blessed is the virgin whose womb was. The painting Nativity by Hans Baldung in 1520 demonstrates this idea. Luther College Nordic Choir, under the direction of Allen Hightower, singing Ola Gjeilos new piece Serenity (O Magnum Mysterium) for choir and cello. O magnum mysterium, et admirabile sacramentum, ut animalia viderent Dominum natum, iacentem in praesepio Beata Virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt portare Dominum Iesum Christum. This was a topic of great excitement during the Renaissance people loved the idea that the animals in the stable recognized the birth of Jesus as an important event. The first half of the chant references the animals present at Jesus’s birth, symbolic of God’s mysterious and lowly life as a mortal. That animals should see the new-born Lord,
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However, 20 years later Victoria used this work as the basis for a Mass. O Magnum Mysterium was first published in 1572 as a choral motet (a fancy name for a Renaissance choir piece). Victoria exclusively wrote sacred music, and after his time in Rome, he enjoyed composing back in Madrid. He became known for his musicianship at a young age, and when he was 17 he moved to Rome where he interacted with the top composers of the time. An accomplished composer, organist, and singer, Victoria is one of the most well-known composers of the Counter-Reformation (the period of Catholic resurgence initiated as a response to the Protestant Reformation).