Northern Spire

About Magnificat

Magnificat (2003) was composed from an idea I had to create a virtuosic kind-of "duet" between solo piano and chorus, centered around the Latin text of the Magnificat (Mary's song of praise as recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke).  Indeed, the wording of the instrumentation as being for "Solo Piano and SATB Chorus" is deliberate, as the pianist's music is every bit as significant as that of the chorus, and often takes center stage throughout the piece.  The choral music, as well, is harmonically and rhythmically demanding.  I believe that this piece is well worth the effort of a skilled chorus and pianist, and would make for a rewarding addition to a choral performance.

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As this piece has never been performed, below is a MIDI rendering.  Please bear in mind as you listen, that the choral samples used are, simply, an "ah" syllable (the text of the piece is not discernible in the recording), and that many of the tempo changes and other transitions would be better handled by a skilled conductor than computer software.  If you click on the above cover image, you will see a partial sample of the score.