Sancta Civitas

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Sancta Civitas ("The Holy City") is an oratorio by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Written between 1923 and 1925, it received its first performance in Oxford in May 1926, during the General Strike. The piece is based upon texts from Revelation, as well as Taverner's Bible and other sources. Late in life, Vaughan Williams would call Sancta the favorite of his choral works.[1]

Contents

[edit] Orchestration

Sancta Civitas is scored for a full orchestra, with optional organ, as well as a mixed chorus, a semi-chorus, a "distant chorus" of boys, baritone and tenor soloists, and an optional organ solo.

[edit] Structure

The work is scored as a single continuous movement, lasting approximately 35 minutes.

[edit] Vocal score

The piano reduction of the orchestral parts used in the vocal score was prepared by fellow composer Havergal Brian.


[edit] References

  1. ^ Steinberg, Michael (2005). Choral Masterworks. Oxford, 295-300. ISBN 978-0-19-512644-0. 


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