Ecce Cor Meum
| Ecce Cor Meum | |||||
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| Studio album by Paul McCartney | |||||
| Released | 25 September 2006 | ||||
| Recorded | 13–17 March 2006 | ||||
| Studio | Abbey Road Studios | ||||
| Genre | Classical | ||||
| Length | 56:50 | ||||
| Language | English, Latin | ||||
| Label | EMI Classics | ||||
| Producer | John Fraser | ||||
| Paul McCartney chronology | |||||
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| Paul McCartney classical album chronology | |||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
Ecce Cor Meum (Latin for Behold My Heart) is the fourth classical album by Paul McCartney. The album was released on 25 September 2006 by EMI Classics. An oratorio in four movements, it is produced by John Fraser, written in Latin and English, and scored for orchestra and boys and adult choir. The oratorio was partly inspired by Sir Paul's wife Linda. lt is also the only classical album by McCartney that was not released on vinyl.
The title was inspired by the inscription McCartney noticed above a statue of Jesus in St. Ignatius Church, New York City. The reference in the church context is to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, although McCartney freely adapted the text for use in his composition. Upon Sir Paul's grant of arms, he adopted "ECCE COR MEUM" as his motto.
Ecce Cor Meum had been more than eight years in the making and its origins follow in the tradition of composers commissioned to write music for Magdalen College, Oxford. Sir Paul was invited by Anthony Smith (President of Magdalen College 1998–2005) to compose something to set the seal on a new concert hall for the college.
The composition was delayed by the death of Sir Paul's wife, and could not be used for the opening of the new auditorium (which was celebrated instead by a premiere of Tony Harrison's verse film, "Prometheus"). The project did not die: with encouragement from the then Oxford University Music Society president and perseverance by the College itself, the work was finished and eventually performed in the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, in November 2001.
Originally, it was presented in 2001 with the full Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford, conducted by Bill Ives, in the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford. Sir Paul McCartney expressed in the programme his hope "that this piece will carry the name of Magdalen to all parts of the globe and help to make people aware of the noble institution that it is".
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Wikipedia