The composition was commissioned by the Agenzia Romana per la preparazione del Giubileo of Rome in Italy for the millennium celebrations, the Great Jubilee.[1][2] Pärt dedicated it to the conductor Myung-whun Chung and to the choir and orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, who performed the premiere on 19 November 2000 in Rome, close to the feast of the saint on 22 November. It was published by Universal Edition.[1]
Text and music
Pärt searched for a text to commemorate the martyrdom of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music, beginning in 1999.[3] He found a Latin text at the Graz seminary in the Breviarium Romanum, containing a short description of her life. A historic translation to Italian was found at the Monastero di Bose.[1]
Cecilia, vergine romana is set in a single movement, and takes about 17 minutes to perform.[4] It is scored for a four-part choir (SATB), two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, two trombones, tuba, percussion (two players), harp, and strings.[4]