Notes on the Program

HAYDN Te Deum (Empress Marie Therese), Hob.XXIIIc:2

Te Deum in C (Hob. XXIIIc, No. 2) Joseph Haydn wrote two settings of the Te Deum, both in the key of C. He composed the first, for chorus, soloists and orchestra, around 1765. The second, which we sing today, was commissioned in 1799 by Empress Marie Therese, wife of Emperor Franz I of Austria. One of his most effervescent smaller works, it received its premiere in September 1800 at Eisenstadt, the home of the Esterházy family, his former employer. Composed for chorus and orchestra, this Te Deum is divided into three continuous sections. Haydn creates two ebullient outer sections, contrasting with a calm middle. The energetic first section begins with unison singing of Haydn’s variation of the traditional chant melody. Different phrases in the first section are set with equally sparkling melodies. The main theme of this section returns with the text Tu Rex gloriae Christe. 11 The shorter second part, Te ergo quaesumus, a prayer asking for help, is appropriately slower, more contemplative. Joy reigns again in the exuberant third section, beginning with Aeterna fac. Haydn expresses exaltation in the power and protection of the Almighty. He uses both full chorus and duets in his development of this section. Haydn sets the music calmly at Miserere nostri Domini (Lord have mercy), and completes the work with a magnifi cent double fugue on the texts In te, Domine speravi and Non confundar in aeternum. - Helene Whitson

Magnificat, RV 610
Antonio Vivaldi

Arguably best known for his cycle of violin concerti Le quattro stagioni (The Four Seasons), Antonio Vivaldi is regarded as one of the finest composers of the Baroque period, and enjoyed widespread fame across Europe in his lifetime. As well as his prolific career as a musician, he was ordained at the age of 25 and gained the nickname Il Prete Rosso (‘the Red Priest’), on account of his red hair. He became master of violin at the Pio Ospedale della Pietà orphanage for girls in 1703; he wrote most of his compositions during the 30 years he was in post, including 140 concerti for the orphanage between 1723 and 1733 alone. Vivaldi’s setting of the Magnificat (a canticle with text taken from Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth) was first written in around 1715 for the Ospedale della Pietà, and revised it again in 1720, making it more suitable for male voices and adding two oboes to the instrumentation. Noted for its conciseness, Vivaldi recognised that it was a work that would be sung regularly, at each Vesper service, which may be a reason for such restrained writing. - Program notes by St. Martin in the Fields

MORTEN LAURIDSEN Lux Aeterna 

Written in 1997, Morten Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna has become a staple of the choral repertoire. This five-movement non-liturgical work is actually a Requiem. It was completed just after Lauridsen’s mother had died, and is peaceful and uplifting in character. All of the words, which contain references to light, are drawn from sacred Latin texts. According to Lauridsen in his note for the score of Lux Aeterna (Southern Music Publishing Co., Inc.), the two outer movements—“Introitus” and “Agnus Dei—Lux Aeterna”—refer to the Requiem Mass, and the central movements come from the “Te Deum,” “O Nata Lux,” and “Veni, Sancte Spiritus.” - Dale Zeidman

KIM ANDRÉ ARNESEN Selections from Magnificat

Kim André Arnesen (b. 1980) is a Norwegian composer known for his lush, expressive choral writing that blends elements of classical, contemporary, and Scandinavian choral traditions. His Magnificat, composed in 2010, is a radiant and deeply moving setting of the ancient biblical canticle from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:46-55). Traditionally sung in Christian liturgy as a hymn of praise and humility, the Magnificat is the Virgin Mary’s song of joy and gratitude upon learning she will give birth to the Christ child.

Arnesen’s setting of the text captures both the grandeur and intimacy of Mary’s proclamation. The music unfolds with a sense of awe, beginning in a gentle, ethereal atmosphere that gradually blossoms into soaring phrases of exultation. His harmonic language is rich and luminous, featuring warm suspensions, floating melodies, and moments of radiant intensity that evoke both reverence and celestial light. The interplay between voices and instruments creates a soundscape that is both meditative and expansive, drawing the listener into the spirit of the sacred text.

Throughout the work, Arnesen’s sensitivity to text painting is evident. Moments of quiet humility contrast with sweeping crescendos of joy, reflecting the depth of Mary’s words: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." The music is at once deeply personal and universally uplifting, inviting performers and audiences alike to experience the beauty and mystery of the Magnificat through Arnesen’s contemporary yet timeless musical voice.

Performed by The Women’s Glee Club of The Ohio State University, this Magnificat is a celebration of both the sacred tradition and the enduring power of choral music to elevate the human spirit.

-Jordan Saul