Walker: O Nata Lux

Composer: Lucy Walker (1998-) Format: Choral Octavo Instrumentation: SATB Choir Binding: ISMN: 9790060141249 Size: 7.5 x 8.5 inches Pages: 8 Description Commissioned by the Choir of Pembroke College, Cambridge, for the first ever BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong broadcast from the college, this introit or short motet was written to commemorate the occasion of Candlemas. Echoing the text, rich in light imagery, the recurring motif, first heard at the opening of the piece, unfolds from a single pitch into glowing harmonic colors. After a luminous climax where the texture reaches its widest span, with a soaring soprano solo, the piece ends by returning cyclically to the meditative state of the opening, fading to a single note once more. As a versatile introit or as a concert piece, this gentle and reflective setting of the archaic text would suit confident choral groups.