To Mario Fontana & Coro Calicantus

on the occasion of its 20th Anniversary

AGNUS DEI
for S.S.A. voices, a cappella

Music by
IVO ANTOGNINI
(q = 54)
bb b 3 p j j
SOPRANO 1 & 4 œ . œj œ œ œ œ œ . œ œ.
J œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ
A - gnus De - i, qui tol - lis pec - ca - ta mun -
b
& b b 43 ˙ j
p
SOPRANO 2
œ œ œ. œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ
A - gnus De - i, qui tol - lis pec - ca - ta mun -
b 3 p
&bb 4 ˙ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ ˙
ALTO
œ
A - gnus De - i, qui tol - lis pec - ca - ta mun -

j
(q = 54)
b 3 j j j
& b b 4 (œ . ) œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ .. œœ œ˙ . œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ . œ œ
ACCOMP.

˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
(for

? b b 43 œ œ ˙
rehearsal
only)

bb
Fj
4 œ ‰ œ œ œ 43
5

‰ œj œ œ œ
P
& b ˙. 4 œ ˙ œ ˙
di, pec - ca - ta mun - di: mi - se -
b P
j 4 3
&bb œ ˙ ‰ œ œ œ œ 4 œ œ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ 4
- di, pec - ca - ta mun - di: mi - se -
b ‰ j
P
4 3
& b b ˙. œ œ œ œ 4 œ ˙. œ œ 4
œ œ œ ˙
di, pec - ca - ta mun - di: mi - se -
b 4 œ Ó ‰ j œ 3
5

& b b ˙œ. ‰ j œ œœ œœ
˙ œ J œ 4 œ œœ œœ œ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œœ 4
˙. œ œ œ œ œ
? bb œ 4 œ œ œ ˙
b Œ 4 Ó Œ 43
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Virtual Sheet Music Order PP-858956391 | 1 copy purchased by Marie Hoogendam on Sep 27, 2018 at 4:51am CDT
4

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ
U
b 3 œœ ‰ œ œ œ 44 œ œ œ ˙
9

&bb 4 œ œ œ
p
J
re - re, mi - se - re - re, mi - se - re - re no -

b 3F
U pj
b
& b 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n œœ œœ ‰ œ œ 44
œ œœœ œ œ œ
re - re, mi - se - re - re, mi - se - re - re no -

b 3 F p
4
&bb 4 œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ
U
œ œ nœ œ bœ œ œ 4
œ œ œ ˙
re - re, mi -se - re - re, mi - se - re - re no -

b œ œ œ
& b b 43 œœ œ œœ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œœ n œœœ œUœœ ‰ œœ b œœ œ 44 œ œ œ ˙
9

J œ
œ œ œ œ n œœ œœ œ bœ œ
œ 4 œœ œ œœ œœ œ˙ œ
U
? b 3 œ
bb 4 Œ ‰ 4

b 3 j j
13

& b b œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ œ œ . œJ œ .
,P
œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ ˙.
bis. A - gnus De - i, qui tol - lis pec - ca - ta mun - di,

b ,P
3 j
&bb œ ˙ œ 4 œ œ. œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ ˙
bis. A - gnus De - i, qui tol - lis pec - ca - ta mun - di,

bb 3
,P
& b œ ˙ œ 4 œ œ
œ œœœ œ œ œ ˙ ˙.
bis. A - gnus De - i, qui tol - lis pec - ca - ta mun - di,

b j
‰ œj œ œ 43 œ œ œœ .. œœ œ . œj œ j
13

&bb Ó ˙ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ . œ ˙œ. ˙
œ ˙ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ˙ . Œ Œ
? bb 34 œ
b

AGNUS DEI - SSA

Virtual Sheet Music Order PP-858956391 | 1 copy purchased by Marie Hoogendam on Sep 27, 2018 at 4:51am CDT
 5

b ‰ Fj œ 4 ‰ œj œ œ 3 œ œ œ
18

4 œ
f
& b œ œ œ œ 4 œ œœ œ ˙
b
˙ œœ
pec - ca - ta mun - di: mi - se - re -

b j 4 ‰ œj œ œ 43 œJ œ j
F f
&bb ‰ œ œ œ œ 4 œ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ œ
pec - ca - ta mun - di: mi - se - re - re

b F
j 4 ‰ j œ œ 43
f
&bb ‰ œ œ œ 4 ˙ œ œ ˙ œ
œ œ œ œ ˙
pec - ca - ta mun - di: mi - se - re - re

b œ œ
& b b ‰ œj œ œœ œœ 44 ‰ œ œ œ ˙ ‰ œj œœ œœ 43 œœJ œ œœ œœ œ œ
18

˙( ) J
œœ œ œ œ œ œ
œ 4 œœ œ
œœ œ̇ œ ˙ œœ œ œ œ ˙ œ
? b ‰ J ‰ J 3
bb 4 4

b œ 4 3
22

4 œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ œ œ.
P,F
&bb œ œ œ œ œ ˙. œ
J
re no - bis. A - gnus De - i, qui

b 4
P,F
3 j
&bb œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ ˙ œ 4 œ œ. œ
no - bis. A - gnus De - i, qui

bb 4 3
P,F
& b 4 œ ˙ œ 4 œ œ
œ œ œœœ œ ˙. œ
no - bis. A - gnus De - i, qui

b œ 4 Ó j
‰ œj œ œ 43 œ œ œœ .. œœ
22

& b b œœ œ œ œ œ ˙. 4 œ œ
œ œ œ œœ œœ œ œœ œ œ˙ . œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ
? bb 44 34
b

AGNUS DEI - SSA

Virtual Sheet Music Order PP-858956391 | 1 copy purchased by Marie Hoogendam on Sep 27, 2018 at 4:51am CDT
6

b fœ . œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ . ‰ œj œ œ œ 2
26
p
b
& b ˙ 4
J
tol - lis pec - ca - ta mun - di: do - na

b j j
42
f p
& b b œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ ˙ ‰ j œ
œ œ
tol - lis pec - ca - ta mun - di: do - na

b f p
2
&bb œœ œ œœ œ œ
œ œ œœ j
œ ˙.
‰ j
œ œ 4
œ œ œ. œ
tol - lis pec - ca - ta mun - di: do - na
b œ. j
œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œ œ œœ ˙ . ‰ œj œ œ œ 42
26

& b b œ. œ œ
œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ .. œ œ˙ . ˙ œ œ œœ
? b œ œ J J 2
bb ‰ 4

f˙ .
b 2 3 œ ˙
F
œ j 2 3
30

&bb 4 œ œ 4 Œ œ. œ 4 œ œ œ 4
no - bis pa - cem, do - na no - bis

b 2 3 ˙ ˙˙ ..
f F
j 42 3
&bb 4 œ œ œ 4 œ Œ
œ. œ œ œ œ 4
no - bis pa - cem, do - na no - bis

b 2 3 2 3
f F
&bb 4 4 ˙˙ n ˙˙ .. Œ j 4 4
œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ
no - bis pa - cem, do - na no - bis

b 2 œ 3 œ ˙˙ ˙˙˙ ... j 2 3
30

&bb 4 œ œ œ 4 œ ˙ Œ œ. œ 4 œ œ œœ 4
œœ œ œ œ ˙ n ˙˙ .. œœ .. œœ œœ œœ œ
? b b 42 43 Π2
J 4 43
b

AGNUS DEI - SSA

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 7

f F P p
b 3
U
œ œœ œœ ‰ œ œ œ 4 2
35

& b b 4 œ˙ œ 4 œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ 4
pa - cem, do - na no - bis pa - cem, pa - cem,
f F P p
b j
& b b 43 œ˙ œ n œœ 44 2
U
œœ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ 4
œ œœœ œ œ œ ˙
pa - cem, do - na no - bis pa - cem, pa - cem,

b 3
f F P p
&bb 4 ˙ ‰ œj 4 2
U
n œœ œœ œœœ 4 œ œ œ ˙ ˙ bœ œ œ 4
pa - cem, do - na no - bis pa - cem, pa - cem,

b
& b b 43 œœ ˙˙ œœ n œœœœ œUœœœ ‰ œœ œ b œœ œ 44 2
35

œ œ œ ˙ Ó œ œ œ 4
J
˙ n œœ œUœ œ œ œ œœ œœ œ œ œ ˙ b œœ œœ œœ
? b 3 ‰ J 4 œœ œ œ ˙ 2
bb 4 4 4

b 2
πU
3
39

&bb 4 œ œ œ ˙ 4 ˙. ˙.
pa - cem, pa - cem.

b 2
πU
3
&bb 4 œ œ œ ˙˙ 4 ˙˙ .. ˙˙ ..
pa - cem, pa - cem.

b 2
π
3
&bb 4
U
b ˙˙ 4 b ˙˙ .. ˙.
œ œ œ
pa - cem, pa - cem.

b 2
U
3
39

&bb 4 œ œ œ ˙˙ 4 ˙˙˙ ... ˙˙ ..

œœ œœ œœ b ˙˙˙ b ˙˙ .. ˙.
U
? b b 42 43
b

AGNUS DEI - SSA

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 AGNUS DEI - SSA a cappella
In the summer of 2012, during a vacation in Greece, on the island of Tinos, I composed this simple
Agnus Dei as a gift to conductor Mario Fontana, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the
foundation of his choir, Coro Calicantus. Calicantus is a truly unique and special children’s choir, one
which helped me discover the beauty of choral music and the emotions that can be expressed during
a concert. I first heard this group in 2006, and were it not for that experience, I probably would have
never written anything for a choir. Now, composition for the human voice has become a need for me,
and a great source of joy.
In this Agnus Dei the theme is presented three times, each with small variations. The melody is very
singable, and at some moments sounds quite similar to gregorian chant. The piece is predominantly
in the key of E flat major, however in measure 10 we find an unexpected chord, joyous and dissonant,
which brings us to a modern-sounding harmonic climax. The chord is composed of only „natural“
notes, without any accidentals, that are there to signify the purity of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
We find this same chord three times (meaning the Trinity), in a slightly different variation (measures
32 and 35). There is a coda at the end that leads us to some tricky harmonies before resting definitively
on an E flat major chord.
Agnus Dei is scored for choirs of women’s voices, both large and small groups. It is particularly
effective when sung by children’s choirs of a high level. There is also a version for men’s voices, that
is written a step higher.

Text
Agnus Dei, Agnus Dei, Agnus Dei,
Lamb of God, Lamb of God, Lamb of God,
qui tollis paccata mundi, Qui tollis peccata mundi: Qui tollis peccata mundi:
who takes away sins of world Who takes away sins of world, Who takes away sins of world,
Miserere nobis. Miserere nobis. Dona nobis pacem.
Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Grant us peace.

About The Author

Swiss composer Ivo Antognini received a degree in piano in 1985 at Lucerne, where he studied with
Nora Doallo. He then studied at the Swiss Jazz School in Bern with pianist Joe Haider. Early in his
career he composed music for television and film as well as jazz works. In 2006 he met with Coro
Calicantus, a world-class children’s choir, and its director, Mario Fontana, and since that time he has
devoted his efforts largely to the composition of choral works. He has been described as “an important
new voice” by The American Organist Magazine. His choral works have won awards in national and
international choral composition events and is performed by top choirs throughout the world. In July
2012, he was invited by the American Choral Directors Association to present his choral music at the 7th
World Choir Games in Cincinnati, USA, where he served as one of the adjudicators. Antognini writes
music for choirs of all levels and has a distinctive personal style.
In 2013, his O Magnum Mysterium was listed as the “Editor’s Choice” by J.W. Pepper and “Best of the
Best 2013” by Northwest Music (Canada).
He teaches ear training and piano at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano (Switzerland).
He lives in the village of Aranno with his wife and two children.

PROJECT ENCORE has found this work to be of exceptional merit. Its

panel of internationally known conductors has selected the work for inclusion
in its database of recommended choral music - www.projectencore.org

Virtual Sheet Music Order PP-858956391 | 1 copy purchased by Marie Hoogendam on Sep 27, 2018 at 4:51am CDT