Scored for
Duration
5 min
Short description
Most Holy Mother of God for four a cappella voices (countertenor or alto, two tenors and bass), was written in 2003 and premiered in October of the same year at the University of Durham, England, where the composer was awarded an Honorary Doctorate. It was performed by the Hilliard Ensemble, to whom the piece is also dedicated.
The composition is based on the final line of the earliest Marian hymn from around 250 A.D., the text used both in the Catholic and Orthodox liturgy. The call to the Mother of God is repeated with a single line of text seventeen times, sometimes as soft prayers, sometimes as powerful hails.
Vox Clamantis, Jaan-Eik Tulve (conductor). CD The Deer's Cry. ECM New Series 2466
© ECM Records
World premiere
Composer's recital: A Concert of Music by Arvo Pärt
The Hilliard Ensemble ((David James (countertenor), Steven Harrold (tenor), Joanne Lunn (soprano), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone)))