Composer

:

Eric Whitacre

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Motet

Compose Date

:

2000

Average_duration

:

4:43

Lux Aurumque is a choral composition by Eric Whitacre, an American composer and conductor. The piece was composed in 2000 and premiered by the Los Angeles Master Chorale in the same year. The title of the piece translates to "Light and Gold" in English. The composition is a four-part a cappella choral work that is characterized by its slow and ethereal quality. The piece is written in a homophonic style, with all four parts singing the same text at the same time. The text is a Latin poem by Edward Esch that describes the beauty of light and its transformative power. The piece is divided into three movements, with each movement building on the previous one. The first movement begins with a soft and gentle melody sung by the sopranos, which is then joined by the altos, tenors, and basses. The second movement features a more complex and intricate melody, with the different parts weaving in and out of each other. The final movement is a return to the simplicity of the first movement, with the melody gradually fading away into silence. One of the most notable characteristics of Lux Aurumque is its use of dissonance and consonance. The piece begins with a dissonant chord that gradually resolves into a more consonant one. This creates a sense of tension and release that is characteristic of Whitacre's style. The piece also features a number of extended chords and suspensions, which add to its ethereal quality. Overall, Lux Aurumque is a hauntingly beautiful piece that showcases Whitacre's skill as a composer and his ability to create music that is both simple and complex at the same time. Its popularity has led to numerous arrangements for different types of ensembles, including brass bands, string quartets, and even marching bands.

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