Dame Felicity Lott, a soprano on this recording, is renowned for her performances of Strauss, Mozart, and 19th-century French repertoire, and has sung at major opera houses worldwide.
Composer's Artistic Vision
William Mathias composed Lux aeterna in memory of his mother, choosing the concept of 'Light' over 'Rest' as its central premise.
Compositional Technique
The three female soloists in Lux aeterna sing Roy Campbell's English translations of poems by St John of the Cross, which are mystical songs of a bride to a bridegroom.
Performer Biography
Sir David Willcocks, the musical director for this recording, was Director of Music at King's College, Cambridge, and Director of the Royal College of Music, and had a close friendship with William Mathias.
Composition History
William Mathias's Lux aeterna was commissioned by the 1982 Three Choirs Festival in association with the Arts Council of Great Britain.
Compositional Technique
The text of Lux aeterna combines passages from the Requiem Mass, the Mass in Ordinary, the Mass for a Woman not a Martyr, and Vespers for Trinity Sunday.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Lux aeterna reflects the tension between the Light of Heaven and Earth's Dark Night of the Soul.
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