VISIONI ed ESTASI was composed in 2015 in commission of the 'Flanders Festival Mechelen' for the TENSO Days 2015 (International Festival for Contemporary Choral Music).
The work was originally composed for 3 professional choirs and 1 large choir (7 amateur choirs) and electronics.
It is a vast work of forty five minutes, where introspective moments alternate with intense ecstatic moments.
The inspiration for the composition was a verse from the Latin Requiem Mass, the 'Lux Aeterna'. The original text however, was completely crumbled, the Latin words were deconstructed. There is no semantic value, however its essence, the message of Light and Hope, is definitely present. This message is embedded in most cultures and religions.
Many of Henderickx's music can be traced back to his interest in the Orient, but VISIONI ed ESTASI falls within a broader spiritual context.
This work received its premiere at the Saint Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen (BE), with James Wood as the general conductor. It involved professional choirs from the Netherlands, France and Finland and amateur choirs from the city of Mechelen.
The electronics serve to support the choirs, merging and interacting with the voices.
The choirs enter into a dialogue in a set-up inspired by the Venetian 'Cori Spezzati' in order to create a strong spatial effect.