canasg choral music publishing

SA5001

Aurora Rutilat

(Dawn glows red)

based on a 14th century plainchant hymn
for the feast of St Columba of Scotland

by Sheena Phillips

for soprano, alto, tenor and bass chorus

SATB performance time approx 3m 20s

Composer's note

This piece is based on a 14th century plainchant hymn in honour of Saint Columba, who flourished in Scotland in the 6th century and whose feast day lies in June. The piece uses two of the original verses, one expressing the sense of anticipation as the singers rise with the sun to prepare for celebration, the other being a joyful litany of praise.

As if mirroring the event of sunrise, the music grows in harmonic richness and melodic height, starting with a simple statement of the plainchant itself, gradually adding harmony, finally soaring into the atmosphere. The 'sit laus perpetua' section should sound convinced and strong. The last section returns to the image of sunrise, building to the tenor and soprano passages in bars 36 and 37, after which the excitement of dawn passes and the morning has begun.

A wonderful thing to do in performance is to start in darkness, singing the plainchant from memory, and have the lights come on gradually. It's also a lovely piece to sing in a large church or cathedral acoustic.

The piece is of medium difficulty. It is slightly tricky holding the A flat harmonies in bars 2 and 15, and the tenor and bass lines in bars 30 ff. need some attention. The plainchant also takes some work. It should have some ebb and flow, not be sung monotonously, and staggered breathing is needed for the longer phrases.

A recording by Rudsambee company of singers is available on citrus and honey (RUBEECD002).

Music

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Hear a MIDI file of the song

Words

Aurora Rutilat

Aurora rutilat lucis prenuncia;
letos nos excitat a sompnolencia,
volentes celebre festum recolere
Columbe venerabilis.

Sit laus perpetua, sit semper gloria
patri et filio sancto paraclito,
simplici Domino qui regit omnia
per cuncta semper secula.

Extracts from the 14th century plainchant Hymn from Lauds for the Feast of St Columba, which appears in the Inchcolm Antiphoner (now in Edinburgh University Library). An edited version of this manuscript has been prepared by Isobel Woods Preece.

Translation

Dawn glows red, heralding daylight;
we are roused gladly from sleep,
eager to keep the famous feast of the
venerable Columba.

Everlasting praise and glory be to the
Father, Son and Holy Paraclete,
the one Lord who reigns over everything
for evermore.

Full pronunciation guide provided

Price

The price of this piece depends on the number of singers in your group. This is a single payment for a licence to make as many copies as you need for your group to rehearse and perform the song as often as you wish. Copies of the song must not be given, lent or sold to any other group.

Number of singers in your group
up to 12 singers	13 to 24 singers	25 singers or more
Ł7 (approx US$10)	Ł14 (approx US$20)	Ł21 (approx US$30)
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Companion pieces

Browse the 'Sacred' section of the Canasg catalogue for more songs like this one. To go there now, click on the 'catalogue' box to the right.

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