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Jan Garbarek / The Hilliard Ensemble: Officium Novum
By Track review of "Litany"Officium Novum continues this unlikely success with a collection of Armenian music, evolved from the adaptations of Komitas Vardapet, compositions with feet in both medieval sacred music, and the bardic tradition of the Caucasus. "Litany"a three-part composition, and the longest piece on the releasebrings together the muses of spiritual and musical affinity: "Otche Nash," from the Lipovan Old Believers tradition, which is preceded by a fragment of the "Litany" of Nikolai N. Kedrov, a student of Rimsky Korsakov, founder of the Kedrov Quartet, and composer of much music for Orthodox choirs.
The Hilliard Ensemble approaches the triptych boldly, with Garbarek providing vaporous soprano improvisation over the ensemble, adding an acute awareness to the voices, while becoming a part of the vocal group. The kinetics of the piece are sharpened with Garbarek's stratospheric thoughts, transmogrified into musical notes approximating a prayer.
Track Listing
Ov zarmanali; Svjete tihij; Allting finns; Litany: Litany, Otche nash tradition, Dosoino est; Surp; Most Holy Mother of God; Tres morillas m'enamoran; Sirt im sasani; Hays hark; Alleluia Nativitas; We are the stars.
Personnel
Jan Garbarek
saxophone, tenorJan Garbarek: soprano and tenor saxophones; David James: countertenor; Rogers Covey-Crump: tenor; Steven Harrold: tenor; Gordon Jones: baritone.
Album information
Title: Officium Novum | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: ECM Records
Comments
About Jan Garbarek
Instrument: Saxophone, tenor
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