Lux Aurumque

From Wind Repertory Project
Eric Whitacre

Eric Whitacre


General Info

Year: 2005
Duration: c. 4:35
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Choir
Publisher: Carpe Ranam, through Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts - $95.00   |   Score - $25.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II-III-IV
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III (all parts div.)
B-flat Bass Clarinet (div.)
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium (div.)
Tuba (div.)


Errata

In Parts:

  • Flute II, m,29, beat 3: Add quarter rest.
  • Flute IV, m.29, beat 3: Add quarter rest.
  • Trumpet IV, m.31, beat 4: Delete slur to beat 1 of meas.
  • Trombone I, m.31, beat 1: Add courtesy natural sign to D.

See Kish book in Resources (below) for further errata.


Program Notes

Lux Aurumque began its life as an a-capella choral work that I wrote in the fall of 2000. When the Texas Music Educators Association and a consortium of bands commissioned me to adapt it for symphonic winds, I rewrote the climax and included the grand 'Bliss' theme from my opera Paradise Lost. Lux Aurumque received its premiere at the 2005 conference of the Texas Music Educators Association, and is dedicated with deep admiration for my dear friend Gary Green.

- Program Notes from wind score


Commissioned by the Texas Music Educators Association for their 2005 All-State Band, Lux Aurumque is a lush and poignant adaptation of one of Eric Whitacre’s most popular choral works. Simple triads melt from one chord to the next, creating a slowly evolving wash of aural color. For his chorale setting, Whitacre had the original poem by Edward Esch (b. 1970) translated into Latin by Charles Anthony Silvestri. Here is Esch’s original poem:

Light,
warm and heavy as pure gold
and the angels sing softly
to the new-born baby.

- Program Note by California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Wind Orchestra


After deciding upon the poem by Edward Esch (I was immediately struck by its genuine, elegant simplicity), I had it translated into the Latin by the celebrated American poet Charles Anthony Silvestri. A simple approach is essential to the success of the work, and if the tight harmonies are carefully tuned and balanced, they will shimmer and glow.

Lux Aurumque

Light,

warm and heavy as pure gold
and the angels sing softly
to the new-born baby.


Lux,
calida gravisque pura velut aurum
et canunt angeli molliter

modo natum.


Lux Aurumque was commissioned by the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, and is dedicated with love to my great friend Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe.

- Program Note from vocal score


Media


State Ratings

  • Georgia: V
  • Louisiana: IV
  • Maryland: IV
  • North Carolina: V
  • South Carolina: IV
  • Texas: IV. Complete


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Mallory Thompson, conductor) - 13 October 2023
  • Corinth (Miss.) High School Wind Ensemble (Ben Ratliff, conductor) - 2 May 2023
  • University of Oklahoma (Norman) Wind Symphony (Brian Britt, conductor) - 19 February 2023
  • Hochstein Youth Wind Ensemble (Rochester, N.Y.) (John Rolland, conductor) - 11 February 2023
  • Sacramento (Calif.) Symphonic Winds (Matthew Morse, conductor) - 11 December 2022
  • Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Coquitlam, B.C., Can.) (David Branter, conductor) - 10 December 2022
  • University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) Maroon Campus Band (Louis Vajda, conductor) - 5 December 2022
  • Ohlone Symphonic Band (Fremont, Calif.) (Tony Clements, conductor) - 3 December 2022
  • Matthew Flinders Anglican College (Sunshine Coast, Qld., Aus.) Wind Symphony (John Thomas, conductor) - 27 October 2022
  • California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Wind Ensemble (Christopher J. Woodruff, conductor) – 27 May 2022
  • Luther College (Decorah, Ia.) Symphonic Band (Cory Near, conductor) - 13 April 2022
  • Andrews University (Berrien Springs, Mich.) Wind Symphony (Byron Graves, conductor) - 4 December 2021
  • Shepherd University (Shepherdstown, W.V.) Wind Ensemble (Griffin Haines, conductor) - 7 May 2021
  • University of Nebraska (Lincoln) Snider Concert Band (Matt Smoot, conductor) - 25 April 2021
  • Shepherd University (Shepherdstown, W.V.) Wind Ensemble (Scott Hippensteel, conductor) - 23 April 2021
  • Baylor University (Waco, Tx.) Symphonic Band (Steve Dailey, conductor) - 1 December 2020
  • Texas A&M University (College Station) Symphonic Winds (Travis Almany, conductor) - 29 November 2020
  • West Virginia University (Morgantown) Symphonic Band (Cheldon Williams, conductor) - 17 November 2020
  • NorthWinds Symphonic Band (Kansas City, Mo.) (John Bell, conductor) - 23 February 2020
  • Grand Street Community Band (Brooklyn, N.Y.) (David Blumenthal, conductor) – 14 December 2019
  • University of Colorado Boulder Concert Band (Jason Steinmetz, conductor) – 9 December 2019
  • East Tennessee State University (Johnson City) Wind Ensemble (Christian Zembower, conductor) – 19 November 2019


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

  • The Seal Lullaby (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ambrose) (2011/2021)
  • Sing Gently (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Mösenbichler-Bryant) (2020/2021)


All Wind Works


Resources