Augsburg Fortress

Norwegian composer Egil Hovland wrote this hopeful and lyrical work as part of his opera Captive and Free. The music captures the pleading of the companions at Emmaus in Luke 24:29 as well as the Phos hilaron, asking Jesus to “Stay with us, for it is evening and night is falling.” This work is sung often at the St. Olaf Christmas Festival and is a beautiful addition to worship in Advent, Christmas, the Sundays after Easter, or evening worship.

Orchestral parts are available in place of the keyboard accompaniment. Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trombones, tuba, and strings. (Performances with strings only are also effective.)