Čopi, O radix Jesse
Ambrož Čopi was born in Koper, Slovenia in 1973. He studied composition and conducting in Ljubljana.
His choral music has gained widespread recognition in Europe, but he is perhaps best known as an educator and mentor of young musicians. He has written works specifically intended for youth choirs. The KGBL Chamber Choir, performing here, is a select chamber choir of the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet conducted by Čopi.
Read what Čopi says about O radix Jesse:
The text is about a sapling that will herald a new life. The Savior is foretold as the one who will emerge as a new beginning in human terms in a completely hopeless situation. Right where there is nothing more to see but complete defeat and death, right there is the chosen place of his coming, for God prefers to give himself where there is no hope anymore. As a tender shoot, it appears in our lives with its saving power. With constantly ascending melodies and harmonies, dialogues and imitations in the double choir and between individual voices, I wanted to bring joy and magic to the anticipation of Christmas. Hope and trust in Him. In the “come and save us” part, I added the feeling of the bells ringing to further support the solemnity of his arrival.
Čopi incorporates elements of Slovenian folk music into his compositions along with judicious use of modern sounds such as tone clusters.
| O radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem Gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare. | O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples; before you kings will shut their mouths, to you the nations will make their prayer: Come and deliver us, and delay no longer. |