Celebrating Morten Lauridsen – Connecting Poetry & Music


In the sixth video of our series, composer Morten Lauridsen talks about his deep love of poetry, and how that life-long fascination has connected to the lyricism of his music. Lauridsen reflects on one of his favorite poems by Pablo Neruda – “When I die I want your hands upon my eyes” – for which he composed the setting, “Soneto de la noche.”


In this revealing series, Lauridsen will discuss his student days at USC, the inspiration he draws from the quiet of his simple retreat on Washington’s Waldron Island, the influence of poetry in his music, and his relationship with USC Thornton, both as a faculty member and three-time alumnus. Lauridsen also offers an intimate glimpse into the creation of some of his most beloved pieces, including “O Magnum Mysterium” and “Sure on this Shining Night.”

To view the full archive of videos, click here.