Rorate Caeli from Vidimus Stellam

In the tradition of Daniel Pinkham's Christmas Cantata, Kevin Siegfried's Vidimus stellam (We Have Seen His Star) is a radiant and uplifting work for SATB Chorus and Brass Quintet or Organ. Using traditional Latin texts drawn from Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, Vidimus stellam evocatively traces the theme of Light through the Christmas season. In the choral parts, an expressive lyricism predominates, revealing Siegfried's affinity for chant and early music. A balance between accessibility and challenge is maintained throughout. This is the second movement, Rorate caeli, based on the Advent text, "Let the earth be opened and send forth a Savior." The organ provides quiet and spare fanfare passages as an introduction and throughout. As the texture builds, the fanfare occurs in two voices imitatively. Otherwise, the vocal parts are very much in the foreground and predominate the movement.