Lux Aurumque
by Eric Whitacre
The composer conducting, in 2007
Key	C♯ minor
Genre	choral composition
Text	Translation of the poem "Light and Gold", by Edward Esch
Language	Latin
Composed	2000 (2000)
Scoring	8-part mixed choir a cappella

Lux Aurumque ("Light and Gold", sometimes "Light of Gold") is a choral composition in one movement by Eric Whitacre. It is a Christmas piece based on a Latin poem of the same name, which translates as "Light, warm and heavy as pure gold, and the angels sing softly to the new born babe".^[1] In 2000, Whitacre set a short Latin text for mixed choir a cappella. In 2005, he wrote an arrangement for wind ensemble. The choral version became known through Whitacre's project Virtual Choir in 2009. The piece is also available for men's choir. A performance takes about four minutes.

The inspiration for the work was a short poem in English, "Light and Gold", which begins with the word "Light" and ends "angels sing softly to the new-born babe".^[2] Charles Anthony Silvestri translated this text into Latin for Whitacre, and attempted to render "the original poem into Latin as singably and as sonically beautifully as I could".^[3] The poem is attributed to Edward Esch, described by Whitacre as "a recluse, in the truest sense of the word … born sometime in the early '70s, but rarely making a public appearance".^[4] Esch is also credited with the words of Whitacre's work Winter.^[5] It has been suggested that Esch is a pseudonym of Eric Whitacre, whose son is named Esch Edward Whitacre.^[6]

The piece was composed in 2000 on a commission from the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and dedicated to Jo-Michael Scheibe. It was published by Walton Music in 2001.^[7] In 2005, Whitacre adapted it for wind band, a version first performed at the annual conference of the Texas Music Educators Association and dedicated to Gary Green.^{[8][dead link‍]} He also arranged it for men's choir.^[9]

The version for mixed choir is part of Whitacre's project Virtual Choir.^[9] The video as a mix of individual recordings by 185 singers from 12 countries caused "a colossal on-line rush in interest" when it was uploaded in 2011.^[10] It had been viewed on YouTube more than 6.7 million times as of December 2021.^[11]

The work in 48 measures is written in C♯ minor and marked Adagio, Molto legato. It is set for SATB; all parts are divided in two for most of the time, a solo soprano is employed in measures 5 to 7, and the soprano is divided in three parts beginning in measure 34.

The composer writes in the printed score: "... if the tight harmonies are carefully tuned and balanced they will shimmer and glow". Differently from other works of the composer, the piece is suitable for church services, especially for Christmas.^[3] Whitacre's music has been described as "softly spoken, deeply harmonic and tuneful, but making use of unusual rhythms and sound balancing to create highly textured music".^[12]

Whitacre used the two initial chords of the conclusion of Passio by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt (Qui passus es) for the final word natum (new-born) and thus linking birth and death of Christ to reincarnation.

• Lux Aurumque Allmusic
• "Eric Whitacre / Composer, Conductor, Lecturer" (PDF). musicprods.co.uk. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-07-14.
• On Eric Whitacre’s ‘Lux Aurumque’… phillipcooke.com
• Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir – 'Lux Aurumque' YouTube 2010
• Lux Aurumque virtual choir, karmatube.org
• Eric Whitacre’s YouTube Choir Does 'Lux Aurumque' synthtopia.com 2010
• David Vernier: Whitacre: Light & Gold/Whitacre classicstoday.com 2010
• Andy Gill Album: Eric Whitacre, Light & Gold (Decca) The Independent 17 October 2010
• Fiona Maddocks: Eric Whitacre: Light & Gold – review The Observer 17 October 2010
• Album of the Week / Eric Whitacre's 'Light and Gold' WQXR 10 April 2011