Magnificat
This is a composition for Boys' Choir, Mixed Choir, Strings, Organ, and Percussion. The text is taken from a poem written by the 19-year old Karol Woityla, translated from Polish into Latin by David Gill. The piece was written in 1997-98 to mark the 20th anniversary of Pope John Paul II, yet remained unperformed until February 2026, when it found its perfect setting in Kyiv's Philarmonic Hall, as the finale of the concert marking another anniversary, that of 4 years of ongoing war in Ukraine. ''O mea anima gloriam Domini, Patrem canticumrum, magnifica. Resona, mea anima,gloriam Domini, resona. Magnifica Domini, propter gaudium et dolorem, dolorem et gaudium, magnifica Eum, humili amore. Hymnum cantans, Sanctus! Sanctus! Sanctus! Sanctarum Virginum chori beatorum, hymnum omnium hominum resonate, resonate, Domini Dei Magnificat.''
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The musical language of this work is based on the combination of polyphonic traditions of Italian Renaissance and techniques of contemporary writing.
The poetic text is sung by the boys' choir, whose ascending melodic line symbolizes a living bridge between the Earth and the Heavens.The mixed choir serves as a multiple echo of the main message sung by the boys' choir, reinforcing and underlining its poetic content.
While the music unfolds, the string orchestra enters, adding a strong emotional overtone to the voices. As the culmination approaches, the sonority of celestial bells penetrates into the music ina a stronger and more powerful manner. This image of bells is conveyed by campanelli, campane, vibrafono, marimba, celesta, arpa, and pianoforte. In the climax of the piece, the organ makes its entry, symbolizing the image of the Gates of Heaven opening.
The final section of the composition is a gradual dematerialization of sound, which stands for the idea of transfiguration of the temporal into the eternal.