O Magnum Mysterium

O Magnum Mysterium was written in 1985 for the Summit Chorale, Summit New Jersey at the request of its director, Garyth Nair, “a faculty member in the Drew University Music Department and world-renown expert in voice pedagogy and research” (New York Times.) After his death in 2013 it was revised so its central theme and opening statement revolve around a simple E♭ major chord. The text is the first part of the ancient liturgy for Christmas: “O great mystery and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord lying in a manger! Noel!”

includes rehearsal piano part.

PDF download is letter size, ship to me is octavo size.

Latin text
O magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
jacentem in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum.
Alleluia.

This work is part of our Solid Brass series.