Description
Communio ‘Lux æterna’ comes from a five-voice Missa pro defunctis (or Requiem) by Cristóbal de Morales. This is a text sung within the liturgy to commemorate those who are no longer with us, and which asks God to grant them eternal rest. The plainchant incipit that begins the Mass movement provides a framework for the polyphony that follows: short, achingly beautiful melodies which combine to create a mellifluous sonic whole.
The work holds a special place in the group’s heart, serving as the centrepiece of our eponymously-titled programme, which reflects on themes of mourning and loss.
© Owain Park 2022
Text:
Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine,
cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis,
quia pius es.
May eternal light shine upon them, Lord,
with your saints for ever, for you are good.
Grant them eternal rest, Lord,
and may light perpetual shine upon them,
with your saints for ever, for you are good.
from the Mass for the Dead
