text: Mirabile mysterium (A wonderous mystery) by Jacob Gallus (1550-1591)

Mirabile mysterium declaratur hodie, innovantur naturae; Deus homo factus est; id quod fuit, permansit,
et quod non erat, assumpsit,
non commixtionem passus neque divisionem.

A wondrous mystery is declared today,
an innovation is made upon nature; God is made man; that which he was, he remains,
and that which he was not, he takes on,
suffering neither commixture nor division.  

Inspired by the choral and vocal writing of Lili Boulanger, I set out to write a piece with a similar tumultuous atmosphere, claustrophobic harmonies and sudden, dramtic shifts in tone. This piece is set to a text by Jacob Gallus (1550-1591) titled Mirabile mysterium from where the title of my work comes from. The text, as shown below, depicts the arrival of God on earth as man. I was particularly fond, however, of the text “Mirabile mysterium declaratur hodie, innovantur naturae;” which appears frequently in this piece as a kind of chant, echoing many early forms of vocal music.