We have a lot of very gifted musicians in our ensemble, but none more so than James Bassi. A core member of our tenor section for decades, Jim is also a highly noted composer, arranger, conductor, accompanist and vocal coach. Voices has commissioned him on many occasions, and what beautiful pieces he has written for us! Here are his notes about this very special work:

I wrote this work in 1998; it was my first work commissioned by Voices of Ascension, and was premiered in February 1999. The melodic material in this piece is meant to be a bit reminiscent of ancient chant. I set the melodic lines into multi-layered harmonic and contrapuntal textures. Through all these interweaving vocal lines, I strive to keep the music transparent. The “lux” (light) is a crucial image in this music, and many of the colors and color shifts are meant to evoke refractions of light, and the spiritual presence embodied in that light. At times, the singers in the chorus are divided into three groups, echoing and overlapping each other antiphonally; this is an oblique reference to the holy Trinity.

— James Bassi

JAMES BASSI O Lux Beata Trinitas

Voices of Ascension
Dennis Keene, Artistic Director

Recorded live in concert, February 10, 1999, at Church of the Ascension
The singers in this performance are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO.