MacMillan, O Radiant Dawn
Sir James Loy MacMillan was born in Scotland in 1959. His setting of O Oriens has much in common with the other O Antiphons featured here for Advent, except that he has set an English text and has elaborated a bit more on the original text of O Oriens. Like Vulc, Pärt, and Čopi, he makes use of the folk songs from his native land and blends them with both modern and traditional elements.
MacMillan’s works include five symphonies, six operas, piano concertos, and much sacred choral music. He first gained acclaim in 1990 for The Confession of Isobel Gowdie, a Requiem for a 17th-century Scot who was burned as a witch. His percussion concerto, written for Evelyn Glennie, has reportedly been performed more than 500 times. He has also served as conductor of the BBC Philharmonic and the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic.
His Catholic faith has been a strong influence on his compositions. Among MacMillan’s achievements, he was commission by Pope Benedict XVI to write a Mass to be sung during Benedict’s apostolic and state visit to Great Britain in 2010 and for the beatification of John Henry Newman during that visit.
| O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis. | O Morning Star, splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness: Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. |