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Magnificat

by Daniel Paul Lawson

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Written for Dr. Anne Gross, premiered with Thomas Bandy at the University of Notre Dame on 14 November 2012.

NOTES:
When one begins to set the familiar Magnificat text to music, it is easy to become influenced by the innumerable settings already in existence. While many of such settings continue to be personal favorites, I chose to reject the ever-present notion that the word “magnificat” should be sung loudly and exuberantly. Of course, Mary, the mother of Jesus, the speaker of the text, was indeed joyous, but I do not imagine her praising her Lord as confidently as we might think. I envision Mary harboring some levels of uncertainty and timidity, as many mothers-to-be do. In writing Magnificat, I opted to represent the Virgin’s words to her cousin Elizabeth as an intimate prayer of praise, punctuated by outbursts, rather than the reverse.

lyrics

Magnificat: anima mea Dominum.
Et exultavit spiritus meus: in Deo salutari meo.
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae:
ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.
Quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est:
et sanctum nomen eius.
Et misericordia eius, a progenie et progenies:
timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo:
dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
Deposuit potentes de sede:
et exaltavit humiles.
Esurientes implevit bonis:
et divites dimisit inanes.

(My soul doth magnify the Lord : and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blesséd.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me : and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him : throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich he hath sent empty away.)

credits

released November 14, 2012
Anne Gross, soprano
Thomas Bandy, piano

license

all rights reserved

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