Anonymous 4 & Chilingirian Quartet: As One Who Has Slept (4 mins 54 sec) Album: Darkness into Light: Tavener - The Bridegroom & Other Works Harmonia Mundi / HMU 907274 Web Link 1: http://www.anonymous4.com Web Link 2: http://www.carolinebairdartists.co.uk
:: Track 2
Jessica Radcliffe, Lisa Ekstrom & Martin Simpson: One Small Candle / Beautiful Darkness (4 mins 49 sec) Album: Beautiful Darkness: Celebrating the Winter Solstice High Bohemia / HBRCD002 Web Link 1: http://www.jessicaradcliffe.com Web Link 2: http://www.martinsimpson.com
:: Track 3
Theatreof Voices & The Pro Arte Singers, Paul Hillier (director), with Christopher Bowers-Broadbent (organ): Credo (Berliner Messe) (3 mins 57 sec) Album: Arvo Part: I Am The True Vine Harmonia Mundi / HMU907242 Web Link 1: http://www.harmoniamundi.com
BACKGROUND
John Tavener's piece for voices and strings creates a timeless, deeply spiritual sense of stillness: although the text relates to the resurrection, I feel that the luminous, numinous, midwinter gloominess of the piece is well suited to the season. "Beautiful Darkness" (a difficult choice from a lovely, strongly recommended album) feels less formal but maintains a similar atmosphere, and the last track completes the circle back to an ancient/modern choral format with its crisp, spine-tingling rejoicefulness.
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