For those interested in exploring the score, a PDF of "Lux Aeterna" is available online through various music publishing websites, such as Oxford University Press or Musicnotes. The sheet music provides a detailed look at Lauridsen's composition, including his use of harmony, counterpoint, and vocal techniques.
Morten Lauridsen Text: Latin from the Requiem Mass (Introitus, Kyrie, Domine Jesu Christe, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, Lux Aeterna) Voicing: SATB chorus (divisi), chamber orchestra or organ/piano reduction Duration: ~25 minutes Publisher: Peer Music Classical (rental/purchase)
The piece was premiered in April 1997 by the under conductor Paul Salamunovich, to whom the work is dedicated. It has since become a staple of choral repertoire, performed roughly 75 times annually worldwide. Musical Structure and Movements
PDF of Lux Aeterna
Some notable recordings of "Lux Aeterna" include those by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Danish National Choir, and the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. These recordings showcase the piece's versatility and its ability to be interpreted in different ways by various ensembles.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) for the composition itself. Essential repertoire for advanced choirs. For listeners: deeply comforting, spiritually moving, and harmonically rich — a modern classic.
The work is scored for SATB chorus and either chamber orchestra or organ. It is divided into five connected movements, each drawing from different Latin sources that reference light: The Eternal Light of Morten Lauridsen
"Lux Aeterna" has been widely performed and recorded by choirs around the world, and its popularity can be attributed to its beauty, expressiveness, and spiritual depth. The piece has been praised for its ability to evoke a sense of timelessness and connection to the divine.
– those are infringing and often poor quality (missing pages, wrong clefs, no copyright info).
Morten Lauridsen's is widely regarded as one of the most significant choral masterpieces of the late 20th century. Composed in 1997, it is a five-movement "non-liturgical requiem" that centers on the universal theme of "Light" (illumination).
– If you’re a choir director, you can rent performance sets (includes PDFs for singers). Contact Peer Music.