On December 8th, for the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Schola Cantorum of Most Precious Blood of Jesus Parish was honored to perform the world premiere of Sub Tuum Praesidium, a sacred motet composed this year by Evan O’Dorney. For the past three years, Evan has been an esteemed vocalist, organist, arranger, composer, collaborator, and supporter of the schola. His keen insights for counterpoint, voice leading, and Latin translation have been a great help for the group, and his dedication to the Latin Mass and the Catholic faith is apparent in all his work.
Sub Tuum Praesidium is one of the oldest prayers for the Blessed Mother, and is represented across the Christian world in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern, and Oriental Orthodox churches. The text, which is quite short, is dated around the 3rd or 4th century, and beautifully affirms Mary as being chosen to be the Mother of God:
Beneath thy tenderness of heart
we take refuge, O Theotokos (“God-bearer”):
disdain not our supplications in our necessity,
but deliver us from perils, O only pure and blessed one.
The Roman church developed this prayer into Gregorian chant which is still often sung, particularly in the Latin Mass on feasts dedicated to Our Lady.
O’Dorney’s treatment of this chant hymn was inspired by American composer Morten Lauridsen, who is recognized by his tender use of lush harmonies and warm dissonance that build a sonorous, expansive atmosphere for contemplation and devotion.
In addition to its world premiere on December 8th, the schola was pleased to perform this piece a second time at the parish’s Rorate Mass – an early morning candlelit Advent Mass for Our Lady. For more information about the beautiful tradition of the Rorate Mass, please see this previous article. Please enjoy this recording sample of that Rorate Mass performance. Many thanks and congratulations to Evan O’Dorney for such an inspiring new piece!
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