Agnus Dei
Published in 2019
Available at Rózsavölgyi Zeneműbolt és Webáruházban: HERE
Agnus Dei for mixed choir, soloists and organ (piano)
The Agnus Dei is a traditional text belonging to the Communion section of the liturgy of the Holy Mass and it is sung during the fraction of the Host: the three priestly invocations ("Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world") are followed by the community's responses: "have mercy on us!", and the third time "give us peace!" Selmeczi's 2015 work preserves this structure in a sensitively creative manner. The role of the priest's invocation is taken over by a solo singer singing an archaic Hungarian folk song ("Water flows, shore stands…"), whose philosophical text presents us with the eternal dilemma of going-staying, persevering-remaining. Directly connected to the folk song, the choral Agnus Dei section presents more melismatic female and more static male voices reminiscent of Gregorian chant.
If you look through Selmeczi’s work list, it is clear, that sacred music is of real importance in his œuvre. No less than ten Masses, numerous Latin hymns and antiphons, Hungarian religious texts and canticles set to music for solo voices and choir, accompanied by various instrumental ensembles or just the organ... The clear, simple choral parts can be easily learned by people who can’t read sheet music, and this is precisely the goal, singing together, with its unique community-forming and sustaining power.
Agnus Dei for mixed choir, soloists and organ (piano)
The Agnus Dei is a traditional text belonging to the Communion section of the liturgy of the Holy Mass and it is sung during the fraction of the Host: the three priestly invocations ("Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world") are followed by the community's responses: "have mercy on us!", and the third time "give us peace!" Selmeczi's 2015 work preserves this structure in a sensitively creative manner. The role of the priest's invocation is taken over by a solo singer singing an archaic Hungarian folk song ("Water flows, shore stands…"), whose philosophical text presents us with the eternal dilemma of going-staying, persevering-remaining. Directly connected to the folk song, the choral Agnus Dei section presents more melismatic female and more static male voices reminiscent of Gregorian chant.
If you look through Selmeczi’s work list, it is clear, that sacred music is of real importance in his œuvre. No less than ten Masses, numerous Latin hymns and antiphons, Hungarian religious texts and canticles set to music for solo voices and choir, accompanied by various instrumental ensembles or just the organ... The clear, simple choral parts can be easily learned by people who can’t read sheet music, and this is precisely the goal, singing together, with its unique community-forming and sustaining power.