Description

Ave Maria, one of Lauridsen's growing series of a cappella motets on well-known Latin texts, received its world premiere performance by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, conducted by Paul Salamunovich. The composer wrote, “This serene setting was specially composed as a 70th birthdaygift to Maestro Salamunovich, who continues to enrich us all through hi s magnificent and enduring contributions to the art of choral music.” The changing moods of the text's two verses are reflected in a pair of strong and evocative themes, and in polyphonic textures enriched withdivisis to eight or more parts, and peppered with the composer's tradem ark “gentle” dissonances.-- Peter Rutenburg, RCM Records