Mason, Grace-Evangeline - O Sapientia

A setting of the Latin text of the great Antiphon ‘O Sapientia’ (O Wisdom) for Advent, commissioned by Choir & Organ magazine in partnership with the Choir of King’s College London and supported by PRS for Music. The piece is built on texture, starting with an atmospheric, sustained sound-world featuring a solo line above humming and echoing of the vowel sounds throughout the choir to create something like an echo chamber with modal inflections. The choir unites in delivery of the text before the words ‘O Sapientia’ emerge from the texture sparingly to foreshadow what’s to come. Later, the lower voices carry the delivery of the text while the upper voices repeat sung phrases ad libitum to give a sense of freedom both for the singers and listeners. The music then returns to the thoughtful and reflective stasis of its beginning.