Hymns to Light (1999) was commissioned by the vocal ensemble "Cantissimo" for their Millenium Concert.
The original five anonymous Latin plainsong hymns are from the “Kemptener Hymnar” of the 11th Century.
They provide introductions and flow directly into each of the five -voice motets, the texts of which are
poetic English translations.
This work can be seen as a collaboration of two composers separated only by a thousand years.
Il Coro Piccolo di Uppsula, live concert
Carlo Pavese, Conductor
Translations by Laurence Traiger
1. Dawning Light
Ecce, iam, noctis tenuatur umbra,
lucis aurora rutilans corusca;
nisibus totis rogitemus omnes
cunctipotentem.
See the fading shadow of night,
as dawning light grows glowing red;
With all our will shall we invoke
the Omnipotent.
2. Supreme creator of light
Lucis creator optime,
lucem dierum proferens,
primordis lucis novae
mundi parans originem.
Supreme creator of light,
bringing forth the brightness of day,
preparing from new premordial light
the origin of the world.
3. Immense founder of heaven
Immense caeli conditor
Qui, mixta ne confunderent,
aquae fluenta dividens
caelum dedisti limitem
Immense founder of heaven
lest the currents of water
should mix and flow togetherdivined
a heavenly bound
4. Great Creator
Deus, creator omnium
polique rector, vestiens
diem decoro lumine,
noctem soporis gratia
Great Creator of all matter,
And controller of heaven‘s axis
Vesting the day in decorous light,
And night in the grace of slumber.
5. O light
O lux, beata trinitas
Et principalis unitas,
iam sol recedit igneus,
infunde lumen cordibus.
O light, blessed trinity,
And principal unity,
Now the fiery sun recedes,
Pour light into our hearts.