Emma Lou Diemer is widely recognized as one of the leading women composers of the late 20th century. In this publication she applies her unique compositional style to two well-known hymns. LASST UNS ERFREUEN is a celebratory setting with a wide variety of harmonic colors. The work is a free setting of the hymn, with motives from it being used rather than complete statements.
Her set of Variations on ADORO TE DEVOTE (ADORO TE/ADORO DEVOTE) is a meditative, expressive setting of the Benedictine plainsong. The variations vary from quiet to more intense, with the central variation a moving canon between the pedal and upper voice subsiding to a prayerful ending.