Composer

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Philip Stopford

Average_duration

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3:41

Stabat Mater is a choral work composed by Philip Stopford, a British composer and conductor. The piece was composed in 2007 and premiered in the same year. It is a setting of the medieval Latin hymn, Stabat Mater Dolorosa, which describes the sorrow of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as she stands at the foot of the cross. The work is divided into ten movements, each of which reflects a different aspect of Mary's grief. The first movement, "Stabat Mater," sets the scene with a mournful melody sung by the choir. The second movement, "Cuius Animam," is a duet for soprano and alto that expresses Mary's anguish at seeing her son suffer. The third movement, "Quis Est Homo," is a solo for tenor that asks the question, "Who is the man who would not weep if he saw the mother of Christ in such agony?" The fourth movement, "Eia Mater," is a choral prayer asking Mary to intercede for us. The fifth movement, "Tui Nati," is a duet for soprano and tenor that expresses the love between Mary and Jesus. The sixth movement, "Fac Ut Ardeat," is a solo for alto that asks Mary to help us feel the fire of love for Jesus in our hearts. The seventh movement, "Sancta Mater," is a choral prayer asking Mary to pray for us at the hour of our death. The eighth movement, "Fac Ut Portem," is a solo for soprano that expresses the desire to carry the cross with Jesus. The ninth movement, "Inflammatus," is a duet for tenor and bass that expresses the desire to be consumed by the fire of love for Jesus. The final movement, "Quando Corpus," is a choral prayer asking for the grace to be reunited with Jesus and Mary in heaven. Throughout the work, Stopford uses rich harmonies and expressive melodies to convey the depth of Mary's sorrow and the hope of our salvation through Jesus. Overall, Stabat Mater is a powerful and moving work that captures the essence of the medieval hymn while adding a contemporary touch. It is a testament to Stopford's skill as a composer and his ability to create music that speaks to the heart.

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