heavenly music

I just returned from a wonderful choral concert. When I was first invited, I wasn't that excited to go. I have memories of being pretty bored in too long choral concerts. But this was a good reminder of how wonderful it can be. It didn't hurt that we were up front and very close to the orchestra and the singers. It was Mozart's Requiem in the first half, but it was the second half that I really loved. Have any of you heard of Lauridsen's "Lux Aeterna"? Beautiful beautiful contemporary requiem. Truly heart movingly gorgeous. It was interesting to note the differences in tone of the two musical pieces. Mozart's piece is full of fear...Lord save me from the fires of hell. Eternal damnation. Please please have mercy on me. But Lauridsen's focuses on the miracle of the Light of Christ coming to the world. Of the beautiful mercy and hope. Very interesting.