Composition Details
- Composed by: Kelly-Marie Murphy
- Published by: Cypress Choral Music
- Cat No: CP 1660 (with piano accompaniment) / CP 1665 (with harp accompaniment)
- Canadian Work:
Yes
- Duration: 3:35
Recorded by Elektra
Performed in Concert
Conductor Notes:
SSA (divisi in all lines) and harp (original) or piano. This is a lively and effective, original 2017 composition that will provide welcome energy in a Christmas program. Mixed meters throughout are the biggest challenge. If performing the original version accompanied by harp, you will need an excellent harpist.
This piece’s creation came about because Murphy was having conversations with two choral colleagues about a work with harp for Christmas. In my case, I was looking for a contrasting companion piece to her The Darkest Midnight in December, which she had written several years ago for Jean Ashworth Bartle and the Toronto Children’s Chorus. My original intention was to feature both together in this concert, and then I ran out of space! In Robert Filion’s case, he was looking for more opportunities to collaborate with his favorite harpist in Ottawa. Robert and I are friends, so the three-way conversation was a natural!
Commissioned by Elektra and Ensemble vocal sénior De La Salle, Centre d’excellence artistique de l’Ontario, De La Salle High School, Ottawa, Conseil scolaire des écoles publiques de l’Ontario, Robert Filion, Conductor
Text:
Hodie Christus natus est:
hodie Salvator apparuit:
hodie in terra canunt angeli,
laetantur archangeli:
hodie exsultant justi, dicentes:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Alleluia!
English translation:
Today Christ is born;
today the Saviour has appeared;
today the Angels sing,
the Archangels rejoice;
today the righteous rejoice, saying:
Glory to God in the highest.
Alleluia!