Franz Schubert’s much-loved masterpiece, Mass in G Major (1815), grounds this final concert of our 2022-23 season, whose overarching theme is light. We commissioned the critically acclaimed composer Richard Einhorn to write a piece which will receive its world premiere in this program. Jessie Montgomery describes her piece Starburst (2021) for string orchestra as “Exploding gestures [which] are juxtaposed with gentle fleeting melodies […] to create a multidimensional soundscape”. The Darkness Is No Darkness (1994) is by the prolific British composer, Judith Bingham. We finish with the luminous Lux Aeterna (1997) by Morten Lauridsen which integrates ancient modes, renaissance polyphony, romanticism, and modern dissonance into its powerful music.

PROGRAM

Jessie Montgomery, Starburst
Judith Bingham, The Darkness Is No Darkness
Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect Peace
Franz Schubert, Mass No. 2 in G Major, D. 167
Richard Einhorn, commission on the theme of “Light”
Morten Lauridsen, Lux Aeterna
   For mixed chorus, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 2 horns, trombone, and strings