Program Notes

Title: Thus Spake Maxwell

Genre: Choral Music

Instrumentation: SATB, piano 4 hands.

Text: Maxwell field equations and Genesis 1:3.

Language: English, Latin

Duration: ca 5'

Description: The unlikely source of the text for this unusual choral piece comes from the world of physics: the field equations of James Clerk Maxwell for electromagnetic radiation. These equations describe light--in mathematics. The Genesis text (in Latin) regarding the creation of light opens and ends this work, but the bulk of the piece is in the mathematics.

Items: The product download consists of one complete score, suitable for use by the chorus as well as the pianists and the conductor, and a copy authorization notice. If hardcopies are ordered, the same items will be provided. The copy authorization notice provides permission to make up to 25 copies of the score. PLEASE DO NOT EXCEED THIS COPY LIMIT. If you need more copies, please order multiples of the product. PDF files are formatted for 8½x11 in multiples of four pages with blank pages embedded as needed making the documents suitable for booklet printing on 11x17.

Redacted Full Score:

Sound File:

Note: this is not a performance. It is an imperfect realization generated by the music writing software. Many of the highest notes on the piano (the score goes all the way up to C8) are not audible here.