Magnificat Notre Dame Magnificat Choir & Patrick Kronner

• Kartika Putri:
• 1 Putri: The Choristers’ Prayer 02:10
• Bernadette Farrell (b. 1957):
• 2 Farrell: O God, You Search Me (Arr. for Choir by Hillary Doerries) 03:15
• Kola Owolabi:
• 3 Owolabi: Prayer of St. Francis 02:29
• Emily Mason:
• 4 Mason: Meditabor 02:58
• Susan Powell (b. 1968):
• 5 Powell: Hail Mary, Full of Grace 03:12
• Anonymous:
• 6 Anonymous: Hanacpachap Cussicuinin (Arr. for Choir by Patrick Kronner) 01:44
• Kathleen Thomerson (b. 1934):
• 7 Thomerson: I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light (Arr. for Choir by Hillary Doerries) 03:15
• Hildegard von Bingen (1098 - 1179):
• 8 Bingen: O Pastor Animarum (Arr. for Choir by David Marshall) 02:08
• Brenda Portman (b. 1980):
• 9 Portman: Laudate Dominum 03:42
• Patrick Kronner:
• 10 Kronner: Magnificat 06:29
• Total Runtime 31:22

Info for Magnificat

This album primarily highlights the prayers, words, and music of women, as well as composers from the University of Notre Dame. With this album, like our entire ministry, the Magnificat Choir proclaims the glory of God through prayerful song and strives to draw people closer to Christ.

The album begins with Kartika Putri’s simple yet apt “Chorister’s Prayer,” which the choir prays to begin every rehearsal as we strive to make real the words that we sing. Next is a Bernadette Farrel’s, “O God, You Search Me,” reminding us that before we even speak our prayers, God knows our thoughts and discerns our purpose. In Kola Owolabi’s “Prayer of St. Francis,” we once again pray to put our beliefs into action, and to make God’s light visible in the world.

The next few songs encompass Marian themes, beginning with Emily Mason’s “Meditabor,” about meditating on the commands of God, which reminds us of how Mary always pondered God’s words in her heart. Following Susan Powell’s stunning setting of the “Hail Mary” is “Hanacpachap Cussicuinin,” a traditional Peruvian hymn to Mary, which would have been sung in religious processions in Peru.

Next is “O Pastor Animarum,” a chant by St. Hildegard, the patron saint of our choir. As Mary’s “yes” brought light into the world, we pray she may serve as our example, that we may also allow God’s light to shine into the world’s darkness though us. Kathleen Thomerson’s “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light” similarly expresses the desire to walk in God’s light. Our album ends with some of our most beautiful and grand arrangements. Brenda Portman’s “Laudate Dominum” is a sweeping anthem in praise of God, and our version of the “Magnificat” is a world-premiere setting of Mary’s song which inspired the name of our choir.

Notre Dame Magnificat Choir
Patrick Kronner, direction, organ

The Notre Dame Magnificat Choir
is currently comprised of fifty singers from various academic and faith backgrounds who primarily serve as musicians at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The choir is inclusive, welcoming, and open to all graduate and undergraduate Notre Dame, St. Mary’s, and Holy Cross students who sing in the treble range. The choir performs chant, newly commissioned works, and other sacred music from various eras and cultures in both Masses and concerts. Recent annual tours have brought the choir to Ireland, Peru, Florida, and to Montréal, Canada. The choir strives to build upon the rich musical traditions of the Church, to uplift women’s voices, and to serve the community as the hands and feet of Christ.

The choir is responsible for providing music at the Saturday Vigil Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, including the mass after Notre Dame home football games. In addition, the Magnificat Choir occasionally sings at other Masses and services through the school year, such as the annual Advent Lessons and Carols and the Baccalaureate Mass.

Dr. Patrick Kronner
a native of Chesterfield, Michigan, serves as Organist and Choral Program Director at the University of Notre Dame where he directs the Magnificat Choir and the Community Choir. He received his Doctorate and Masters of Music from Indiana University where he studied with Dr. Janette Fishell, and holds a Bachelor of Music from Oakland University. In 2009, Patrick was awarded the Hollingsworth Fund Award and traveled to Herford, Germany, serving as the assistant organist at Herforder Münsterkirche and studying at the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik Herford. In 2013, Kronner returned to Herford to assist at the Minster and to concertize throughout Europe. The “virtuoso organist from Detroit thrilled… and surprised” (Mindener Tageblatt) audiences as he presented a dozen recitals of primarily American organ music. Highlights of the tour include the Martin-Luther-Kirche in Linz, Austria; the Grote Kerk in Emmen, Netherlands; and the Jocobi-Kirche in Göttingen, Germany. His recent doctoral dissertation, Made in America: The Organ Works of Arthur Foote, explores the organ works of this important American composer.

Booklet for Magnificat