MUSIC LITERACY FACT SHEET
TITLE
1. “Festival Sanctus”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STYLE PERIOD/GENRE
1. Choral music
2. Contemporary Style Period
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------COMPOSER/ARRANGER/EDITOR
1. John Leavitt
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------COMPOSER INFO
John Leavitt, born 1956 in Leavenworth, Kansas. John Leavitt is a composer, conductor,
teacher, and church musician, whose music continues to captivate listeners and musicians of
all ages. He received his undergraduate education at Emporia State University, Emporia,
Kansas, a master’s degree from Wichita State University, and the Doctorate of Musical Arts
from The Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Dr. Leavitt is a
lifetime member of the American Choral Directors Association and is a member of the
American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, from which he has received annual
recognition for his achievements in composition. Currently, Dr. Leavitt serves on the faculty
of MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, KS as professor of music and director of
choirs. He has also served on the faculties of Friends University in Wichita where he was the
recipient of the W.A. Young Award for teaching excellence, Newman University in Wichita,
KS; Concordia College, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada); and Concordia University, River
Forest, Illinois. While in Wichita, Kansas he held the post of music director at Immanuel
Lutheran Church. He also conducted the community choral program, The Master Arts
Chorale and Youth Chorale, during their twelve-year tenure. In 2010, Dr. Leavitt was the
recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts’s American Masterpieces
which partnered with the Kansas Arts Commission and the Kansas Music Educators
Association. He was commissioned by them to write a new choral work in celebration of the
150th anniversary of the State of Kansas. In March of 2003, he received the Kansas Artist
Fellowship Award from the Kansas Arts Commission for his contribution to music
composition. His music has been performed in 30 countries across the globe and his
recordings have been featured nationally on many public radio stations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TEXT 1. Sung in Latin
2. Sacred
3. Text
Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth (Holy Lord, God of hosts)
Hosanna Deo, hosannah in excelsis! (Glory to God in the highest)
Benedictus qui venit (Blessed is he who comes)
In nominee Domine Dei (In the name of the Lord)
Sanctus sanctus sanctus Domine deus (Holy, holy, holy, Lord)
Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua (The heavens and earth are full of your glory) Hosannah in
excelsis Deo! (Glory to God in the highest.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SOUND
1. SATB
2. Piano-accompanied
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------HARMONY 1. homophonic
2. Major Key
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------MELODY
1. Complex
2. sequence (a melodic pattern, or a progression of chords, that is repeated
at successively higher, or lower, pitches.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------RHYTHM
1. complex
2. duple feel
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------GROWTH/FORM
1. intro ABA coda
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TIME SIGNATURE 1. 4/4 & 6/8
2. Consistent Tempo
3. quarter note = ca. 120
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------KEY SIGNATURE 1. A Major
2. 3 sharps (#)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------NOTEWORTHY
 correct Latin pronunciation was an important consideration for us in this
song. Examples – Sabaoth (sah-bah-awtt), Dominus (Daw-mee-noose)
 as the melody is repeated, there is dynamic increase to heighten the intensity
and build the excitement.
TERMS
crescendo/decrescendo – gradually get louder, gradually get softer
dynamics – p (piano – soft), mp (mezzo-piano – medium soft), mf (mezzo-forte –
medium loud), f (forte – loud), ff (fortissimo – very loud)
rit. (ritardando) - gradually slower, retarding, to hold back, holding back, held back (gradual
change of tempo), gradually delaying the tempo
triplet – a group of three notes of equal time value performed in the time of one (sometimes
two) of them
unis. (unison) - when an ensemble sings or plays the same notes even when these are an
octave or several octaves apart, they are said to 'playing in unison'
dim. (diminuendo) - diminishing, gradually getting softer, diminishing in loudness
tutti – all parts sing together
Coda - a closing passage generally added to the end of a composition.
coda sign - or 'jump to coda sign', a circle or oval with a cross inside it which directs the
player to jump from that point to a section marked Coda