Elaine Hagenberg
Her compositions are performed worldwide and frequently featured at American Choral Directors Association conferences, All-State festivals, Carnegie Hall, and other distinguished international concert halls throughout Europe, Australia, South America, and Asia.
Winner of the ACDA Brock Competition for Professional Composers, she has composed new music for the American Choral Directors Association, professional choirs, colleges and universities, community choirs, high schools, and churches.
Illuminare is Elaine’s first extended work, consisting of five movements for SATB chorus and chamber orchestra. Using lesser-known sacred Latin, Greek, and English texts, the piece takes us through a season of beauty and goodness that has been disrupted by darkness and confusion. But as Light gradually returns, hope is restored, illuminating our future and guiding us in peace.
Text and Composer's Notes
1 Splendor (Saint Ambrose, 340 – 397)
Splendor paternae gloriae,
de luce lucem proferens,
lux lucis et fons luminis,
diem dies illuminans.
Splendor of God’s glory,
brings forth light from light,
light of light, light’s living spring,
Day, all days illuminates.
“Splendor,” the opening movement of Illuminare, was inspired by the hymn of Saint Ambrose. To reflect the radiance of the text, I wanted to create a thrilling entrance in bright D major—representing the arrival of glorious Light.
In the initial stages of composing Splendor, bald eagles would often visit the giant willow tree outside my office window. As I watched them take flight, their upward soaring inspired the rush of sixteenth notes in the orchestra as well as ascending vocal lines.
The middle section continues with sustained legato measures, representing the equally beautiful fragments of delicate light. Then “Splendor” eventually returns to D major as a flurry of 16th notes race to the final “Gloriae!”
Over the course of five movements, Illuminare takes us through a season of beauty and goodness that has been disrupted by darkness and confusion. But as Light gradually returns, hope is restored as musical material from “Splendor” appears once again in movement five to declare: Light has triumphed to guide us toward a brighter future.
2 Caritas (Hildegard von Bingen, 1098 – 1179)
Caritas abundat in omnia,
de imis excellentissima
super sidera,
atque amantissima in omnia,
Quia summo regi
osculum pacis dedit.
Love abounds in all,
from the depths most excellent
to beyond the stars,
and loving toward all,
she has given the highest king
the kiss of peace.
Inspired by the poetry of Hildegard von Bingen, “Caritas” tenderly invites listeners into the gentle beauty of the women’s voices—hearkening back to an image of Eden and portraying a season of goodness and purity.
Musical inspiration for this movement originated from “Suscepit Israel” of J.S. Bach’s Magnificat in D, where sopranos and altos lines gracefully cross and weave together.
The delicate treble melodies of “Caritas” are later echoed in the bass voices, gradually ascending to highlight the word “pacis” (peace). Hildegard of Bingen’s words were the perfect fit for this movement, being both simple and yet expansive, painting an entire vista in the space of a few lines and dwelling on love and peace.
3 Nox (Traditional Greek and Aurelius Prudentius Clemens, 343 – 413)
Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison.
Nox et tenebrae et nubila,
confusa mundi et turbida
Caligo terrae scinditur
percussa solis spiculo
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Night and darkness and fog,
confused world and turmoil
dark gloom tears the earth
beats and stabs the sun
After a joyful first movement (“Splendor”) and an elegant second movement (“Caritas”), I wanted to continue the story with contrasting music in a minor key. As the Kyrie text begins with the alto voices, you can sense ominous shadows on the horizon. Then suddenly, a B-minor blast of fury disrupts the world with “Night and Darkness.”
“Night” can be interpreted in many ways and represents the pain and confusion that disrupts our lives. It could be a natural disaster, the loss of a loved one, or a crushed dream. We all face “nox” at different times and in different forms, and when we feel powerless, it helps to have words and music to express our grief.
Then, just as “Nox” gives way to a prayer for light, our grief and disappointments can give way to hope, and we can unite our voices to uplift and encourage one another.
4 Munera Pacis (Pope Gregory, 540 – 604 and John 14:27)
Ecce jam noctis tenuatur umbra,
Lux et auroae rutilans coruscat:
Supplices rerum Dominum canora
Voce precemur:
Ut reos culpae miseratus, omnem
Pellat angorem, tribuat salutem,
Donet et nobis bona sempiternae
Munera pacis.
Behold, already night and shadows taper off
Light and dawn sparkle and quiver
We humbly beg the Lord through song
Our voices pray:
Though we are guilty, view us with compassion
Banish anguish, bestow health
Grant us everlasting goodness
Give us peace.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:
not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid.
5 Illuminare His (Canticle of Zechariah, Luke 1:68-79)
Illuminare his qui in tenebris
et in umbra mortis sedent:
ad dirigendos pedes nostros in viam pacis.
Illuminate those in darkness
and in the shadow of death are seated
direct our footpath in the way of peace.