Gloria
Linda Tutas Haugen
About this work:
From Vivaldi to Poulenc, composers have been inspired by the Gloria text for hundreds of years. The traditional text taken from the Latin Mass, begins with the angelic hymn from the account of the Nativity in the book of Luke. “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The Latin prose continues with elements of praise, invocations, and petitions. It includes three ideas: honor to God, peace on earth, and good will to humankind. During the Middle Ages, the Gloria was given over 50 different settings of Gregorian chant.
“What I have done differently in this setting of the Gloria,” explains composer Linda Tutas Haugen, “is to divide the Latin text into six sections, and to follow each Latin section with an English commentary or extrapolation taken from the book of Revelations. Written by St. John, Revelations represents a vision of heaven and life after death. Therefore, in addition to the ideas of honor, peace, and good will, there is the juxtaposition of earthly hymns reflecting the human condition, and the heavenly songs of saints and angels.”
“Many emotions, ideas, and life experiences are present in this work. I was sketching the ninth section soon after the events of September 11th, and my response to the devastation is reflected in the Agnus Dei. Paired with this is the tenth section, which is dedicated to the memory of four children who have died in the past several years, Kelly, Mark, MacKenzie, and Christie. They are my friends’ children, and the music portrays both the grief and hope I saw in my friends. Certainly no artist can ignore how our world has changed. Gloria is my attempt to present an old form within the broader context and meaning of contemporary life. Ultimately however, it is a reflection of the human condition and our relationship with the Divine.”
World Premiere: Meet The Composer Gala Farewell Concert, Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra, Red River High School (ND), Central High School (ND), East Grand Forks High School (MN) Mass Choir, Timm Rolek, conductor, March 2002, Chester Fritz Auditorium, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
Publisher: Ephraim Bay Publishing Company
Version: Symphonic Version with Chorus
Year composed: 2000
Duration: 00:38:00
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Standard Orchestra
Instrumentation: 2 Flute, 2 Oboe, 2 Clarinet, 2 Bassoon, 4 Horn in F, 2 Trumpet, 2 Trombone, 1 Tuba, 1 Timpani, 3 Percussion (General), 1 Piano, 1 Strings (General), 1 Harp, 1 S, 1 A, 1 T, 1 B
Instrumentation notes: SATB Chorus-2.2.2.2-4.2.2.1-timp.perc(3):chimes(tubularbells)/vib/glck/tgl/tamb/BD/tam/mar/xyl/
crotales/tom/suspcym-hrp-pft-strings