Mater Dei
SSATB choir, c. 5'30" (2016)
for Owain Park and the Cambridge Chorale
This piece uses W. B. Yeats’ poem “The Mother of God”, tied to the traditional ‘Ave Maria’ text and plainchant, to explore the human side of Mary, mother of Jesus. The interweaving florid melodies use the outline of the plainchant to express her intense wonder, terror, and love. Throughout the centuries, Mary has been praised for her divine purity and as a vessel used by God; this piece attempts give the woman herself a more meaningful human voice.
“I was particularly moved by the paean ‘Mater Dei—The Mother of God’ by Sarah Rimkus, yet another accomplished young American composer on this program. While the basses and tenors intone a kind of ground bass with a Latin text that is mainly the ‘Ave Maria’ prayer, the altos and sopranos soar with English poetry that comprise a young mother’s musing on her exceptional maternity. Rimkus’ broadly structured sonic tapestry ranges from uncluttered lyrical poignancy to denser textures that suggest a holy clamor. The composer studied with Morten Lauridsen as an undergraduate, and I hear in her work a spaciousness that I associate with the lauded Minimalist composer, although Rimkus clearly expresses her own voice.”
–Ken Herman, San Diego Story