Lux Nova

Lux Nova is a reimagining of one of his most famous compositions, Lux Aurumque. Before the premiere, Whitacre commented: 'Essentially, it's Lux Aurumque, with the middle section replaced by the “Bliss” theme from my musical Paradise Lost. The musical's central theme is the story of a wingless angel who longs to fly, and at the show's climax, the angels repeatedly sing the word 'paradise' in a glorious, cathartic hymn.' As with his other works, this piece is characterised by a slow tempo, clear texture and balanced sound. The text is based on the poetry of Edward Esch and was translated into Latin by the renowned American lyricist Charles Anthony Silvestri. The premiere took place at the iTunes Festival in 2014.