O Lux Beata Trinitas (2024) - Phillip Cooke; Stained glass from St John's Church Largs

The second of ‘Two recessionals on Plainchant Themes for Organ’, published by Phillip Cooke in 2024, is based on the plainsong melody for the 4th century hymn ‘O Lux Beata Trinitas’, attributed to St Ambrose. The plainsong melody is played first, then Cooke’s four-section piece may be thought to describe the Father appearing out of the darkness, the Son in a lyrical and gentle episode, the mystical Holy Spirit, and then the glorious Trinity in a grand processional which builds to a triumphant ending. The first two lines of the plainsong are repeated in an almost hypnotic fashion.
Phillip Cooke was born in Cumbria in 1980, and is currently Professor of Composition at Aberdeen University.
The hymn translates as:
O Trinity of blessed light and princely unity,
The fiery sun already sets; shed thy light within our hearts.
To thee in the morning with songs of praise, and in the evening we pray,
Thy glory suppliant we adore throughout all ages for ever.
Glory be to God the Father, to his only Son,
With the Holy Spirit now and for ever. Amen.
Images: A complete set of pictures of the stained glass within St John’s Church of Scotland Largs: includes windows by Heaton, Butler & Bayne; Douglas Hamilton; Sadie McLellan; and Douglas Strachan. The church has recently closed and united with other churches within the area, worshipping in the previous Clark Memorial Church building.
Played by Peter Christie on his Viscount Envoy FV-350 digital home organ as part of the online music programme for St John's Episcopal Church, Greenock, Scotland.

[@OrganGuyPhil]

This is beautiful, both musically and visually. I pray that this lovely stained glass can find a new home! 🙏

[@donaldleitch4419]

Lovely, almost hypnotic.