Lux æterna op. 24 (2006)
- for mixed choir and electroacoustic
Two of Bartók’s choruses, Bolyongás (Roaming) and Senkim a világon (I’ve no one in the world) are Bánkövi’s favorites, and he will often quote the beautiful texts without melody. Lux æterna for choir and electroacoustic has no text either; in an effort to produce spatial sound effects, the choir divided into three smaller choruses sings sounds only, that is, vowels and consonants that continuously flow or melt from one into the other. This creates perpetual motion within a prolonged note or chord, perhaps evocative of the line from Senkim a világon: “I hear the murmur of the soft-flowing water”. The second section, however, bears a resemblance not only to the text, but also the harmonic and melodic turns of Bartók’s chorus. “The summer river-water sleeps in winter, but my aching heart will never be at rest.”
Lux æterna is divided into three sections by the electroacoustic which is, however, present in the works not only in the solos; it carries the choir on its harmonic system, helping the singers. This work, paying tribute Bartók’s eternal work believes to radiate pure light, attests to the influence of two other composers. One is the Swedish Anders Hillborg, who’s chorus for vocal sounds without words fundamentally changed Bánkövi’s notions of the human voice, and the other is his much loved and respected professor, Zoltán Pongrácz whose magical Madrigal for choral voices and electroacoustic opened the gates of a new musical world during Bánkövi’s Music Academy years. He borrowed a rhythmic combination from this work, too, concealed way, but comes to the fore at the end of the work.
The wok received its première on 2 June 2006 in Studio 6 of the Hungarian Radio, as part of the Concert Cycle of our Time series celebrating the 125th anniversary of Béla Bartók’s birthday.
The receive the electroacoustic sound material (stereo or quadraphon) make a contact: hangvarázsbt@gmail.com
Duration: 15 minutes
Publisher: Hangvarázs Bt. No. 28 (hangvarazsbt@gmail.com)