I've been thinking about music for this holiday season.
Adoration of the Shepherds, Gerard van Honthorst (1622)
There is a love story behind one of the most beautiful pieces of Christmas choral music written in recent years.
In 1994, Marshall Rutter, a founding member of the Board of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, was recently married to the chorale’s executive director, Terry Knowles. As a Christmas surprise for Terry, he commissioned his friend, Morten Lauridsen, to compose a piece - what became O Magnum Mysterium - in her honor. She learned about the gift just before the first time she heard it in its inaugural performance by the Chorale.
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When I asked Terry if I might use this story, this was her text back to me:
In July 1994, Morten Lauridsen and his (then) wife were at our home for dinner. While I was out of the room, Marshall asked Morten if he could commission a motet, to be premiered by the Master Chorale, as his Christmas gift to me. Before Morten could answer, I was back in the room.
A couple of weeks later, Marshall contacted Morten with the intention of emphasizing how serious he was about the request. In that conversation, Morten told Marshall that the piece was almost done, and what text he had chosen. (My theory has always been that this music - which was a big aesthetic shift for Morten - was in his head, was perfectly suited to the Chorale’s sound, and just needed someone to coax it out.)
Eventually it was December 18, 1994, the day of the Chorale’s holiday concert. The LA Times that morning had a feature article about Paul Salamunovich (the Master Chorale Music Director), in which it was mentioned that the Chorale would premiere a new Christmas motet that evening. I was surprised not to have known and asked Marshall about it.
His face turned red, tears appeared, and he revealed that the new work was my Christmas gift. At the concert that evening, I sat next to Morten, which was amazing. And even though the piece ends very quietly, on its completion the audience exploded into applause, jumped to its feet, and hollered like crazy.
Ever since, every year around Christmas, we hear from friends who have heard or sung O Magnum Mysterium and struggle to express how moved they are by the experience.
It has been extraordinary and miraculous.
Sadly, dear Marshall died earlier this month after a short illness. He did get to see his beloved L.A. Dodgers win a world series, and at an October concert the Chorale’s Artistic Director, Grant Gershon, dedicated their performance of O Magnum Mysterium to Marshall and Terry, who were present as they had been at the inaugural performance thirty years earlier.
In honor of our friends and their love story, this is O Magnum Mysterium, by Morten Lauridsen, sung by the Los Angeles Master Chorale.
O magnum mysterium
Et admirabile sacramentum
Ut animalia viderent Dominum natum
Jacentem in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
Meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum
AlleluiaO great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the newborn Lord,
lying in a manger!
Blessed is the virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear
the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!