Elaine Hagenberg's Illuminare - Presented by Choral Arts Ensemble of Portland

For Illuminare, by Elaine Hagenberg, the composer envisioned drawing on “lesser known hymn texts from centuries ago” to produce “an inspirational work relevant to our generation and current culture.” As she explored the theme of light revealing the glory of God’s creation, even through times of “distress and turmoil,” she found her inspiration in some of the oldest texts in this concert.

St. Ambrose (340-397), an early Church Father often credited with the conversion of St. Augustine (whose words we sang earlier in Hagenberg’s “Alleluia”), wrote the words for “Splendor” as a hymn, like his many others, to encourage the use of music in worship. The tender “Caritas” is by Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), a German Benedictine abbess and mystic, who not only directed her religious order, but also did pioneering work in natural history, medicine, philosophy, and poetry, as well as composing original music. Born in Roman Spain, Aurelius Prudentius Clemens (348-413) wrote both secular and religious poetry, and some of his translated hymns are still sung today. Tellingly, Hagenberg prefaces her setting of his dark text, “Nox,” with the opening words of the Catholic Mass, Kyrie eleison, begging for divine mercy. St. Gregory the Great (Pope Gregory I, 540-604), author of “Munera Pacis,” revised much of early church liturgy, especially in the use of plainchant in worship, known even today as Gregorian chant. This movement concludes, in English, with reassuring words from the Gospel of John, which connects to the last movement with the Canticle of Zechariah from the Gospel of Luke, in the radiant “Illuminare.”

This chamber orchestra arrangement of Illuminare was Performed December 14, 2025, along with members from Orchestra Nova Northwest.

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