Cyrill Schürch O magnum mysterium

The text of the Responsorium "O magnum mysterium", to be sung liturgically in the midnight darkness, describes the mystery of Christ’s incarnation, from darkness into light. In three sections, the music increases from a piano sound to the concluding Halleluja. In ever-new harmonies, the lyrical-Gregorian motifs emerge in sequences of sixths within the dense, four-part writing. The musical language is modal-harmonic with constantly surprising turns. This highly atmospheric piece is good to sing, but requires a reasonably-sized choir because the work doesn’t give the voices any opportunity to rest.