Morten Lauridsen

Morten Lauridsen
Mstillwater · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Morten Lauridsen
Birth date	1943
Birth place	Los Angeles, California
Occupations	Composer, Educator
Notable works	Lux Aeterna, O Magnum Mysterium, Dirait-on
Awards	National Medal of Arts, ASCAP Morton Gould Award, Grawemeyer Award (nominee)

Morten Lauridsen

Morten Lauridsen is an American composer known for his choral music, whose works have been performed by ensembles worldwide. He has combined influences from Renaissance music, 20th-century classical music, and contemporary choral traditions to create repertoire frequently programmed by choirs, orchestras, and festivals. His music has attracted attention from institutions such as the Los Angeles Master Chorale, American Choral Directors Association, and leading conservatories.

Early life and education

Lauridsen was born in Los Angeles and raised in the Willamette Valley region after his family moved to Oregon. He studied composition and music education at institutions including University of Southern California, Whitman College, and the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. His teachers and early influences included faculty from ASCAP, colleagues associated with the American Composers Forum, and mentors connected to the Pacific Northwest choral scene. During his formative years he encountered repertoire by composers such as Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Johannes Brahms, Olivier Messiaen, Arvo Pärt, and Francis Poulenc through performances by ensembles like the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the American Bach Soloists.

Musical career and major works

Lauridsen's professional career includes long associations with institutions such as the University of Southern California and collaborations with ensembles such as the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Seattle Symphony, and university choirs at University of Washington. Major choral works include the motet cycle Lux Aeterna, the carol setting O Magnum Mysterium, the song cycle Dirait-on, and the larger-scale Requiem. He composed song cycles and shorter motets performed by groups including the King's College Choir, St. Thomas Church Choir (New York), and the Tallinn Choirs at festivals like the Spoleto Festival USA and the BBC Proms. Lauridsen also wrote for orchestra and chamber forces, with premieres presented by organizations such as the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, New York Philharmonic (choral collaborations), and regional symphonies affiliated with the American Symphony Orchestra League.

Compositional style and influences

Lauridsen's style blends modal harmony reminiscent of Renaissance music with lush chromaticism linked to Romanticism, while also reflecting techniques found in works by Olivier Messiaen, Arvo Pärt, Erik Satie, Samuel Barber, and Gustav Mahler. His attention to text-setting shows affinities with settings by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten, and Francis Poulenc, and his approach to choral sonority has been compared to the aesthetic of Eric Whitacre and John Rutter. Rhythmic pacing and sustained sonorities evoke connections to composers represented by the European choral revival and contemporary figures associated with the Collegium tradition. He often selects texts drawn from poets and liturgical sources such as Thomas Aquinas, Rainer Maria Rilke, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and the Latin liturgy.

Performances, recordings, and reception

Lauridsen's works have been recorded by labels including Naxos, Nonesuch Records, Harmonia Mundi, and Cedille Records. Notable recordings of Lux Aeterna and O Magnum Mysterium have been issued by ensembles such as the Los Angeles Master Chorale, King's College Choir, Coro de Cámara de Pamplona, and the BBC Singers. His music has been programmed at international venues including Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, St. Thomas Church (New York City), Notre-Dame de Paris, and festivals like the Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music and the Aarhus Festival. Critics in publications such as The New York Times, Gramophone (magazine), and the Los Angeles Times have commented on his harmonic language and melodic gifts, and his pieces appear frequently on competition lists for the American Choral Directors Association and on university recital programs at institutions like Yale School of Music and the Eastman School of Music.

Teaching and mentorship

Lauridsen served on the faculty of the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, where he taught composition and mentored students who later taught at institutions such as Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, and conservatories associated with the Royal College of Music (London). He conducted workshops and residencies for organizations including the American Choral Directors Association, the Association of British Choral Directors, and the World Symposium on Choral Music. His mentorship influenced composers and conductors connected to ensembles like the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Phoenix Chorale, and collegiate choirs at University of Michigan.

Awards and honors

Lauridsen has received awards such as the National Medal of Arts, the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award, and honorary degrees from institutions including Bryn Mawr College and the University of Southern California. He has been recognized by organizations like the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the American Choral Directors Association, and the Kennedy Center Honors community through performances and citations. His work has earned prizes and nominations from entities such as the Pulitzer Prize committees (nominee mentions), the GRAMMY Awards (recording nominations), and international choral competitions affiliated with the European Choral Association.

Category:American composers Category:Choral music