Christopher Enloe: Exsultet (2023)

Program note from the composer:
Like the ancient Latin hymn, Exsultet is a triumphant exaltation of Christ as King victorious. Exsultet recontextualizes cellular fragments of three hymn tunes - Passion Chorale, Duke Street, and Lasst Uns Erfeuen - into richly varied musical contexts. While I was initially drawn to purely aesthetic features of these tunes, my associations with text drove the compositional arc. O Sacred Head Now Wounded, Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun, and All Creatures of Our God and King spun through my head throughout the writing process. In this piece, I glimpse the coming day when all creation will receive her King, the Prince of Peace, completing His victory over sin and death.
"Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven, exult, let angel ministers of God exult, let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our mighty King's triumph!"
Exsultet was commissioned by the American Guild of Organists Student Commissioning Project and was written in collaboration with my dear friend and veritable virtuoso, Grant Smith.
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Recorded May 25, 2023, at Rice University on the Fisk/Rosales organ in the Edythe Bates Old Recital Hall.

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So much color happening! Has to be stunning in live performance.