“It should ring so breathlessly beautiful that nobody has ever heard a b-minor chord that way.”
So said Bengt Ollén during the recording, about the very first notes of Eric Whitacre’s piece “Waternight”. Whether or not we succeeded is up to you as a listener to decide.
”The Darkness is No Darkness” is the Sofia Vokalensemble’s second recording, a much anticipated sequel to ”Black against white sky” that was released in 2003. We have collected some fantastic pieces from the American and British choir tradition on this album.
The CD has two longer parts. Four exciting motets from “The Strathclyde motets” by the Scotsman James MacMillan, and Herbert Howell’s beautiful “Requeim”. And as the marmalade on this musical scone there are also pieces by contemporary composers such as Judith Bingham and Morten Lauridsen. We really hope you’ll like the album!
Download from iTunes:
Complete song list:
1. Eric Whitacre • Water night 4:58
2. James Macmillan • Videns Dominum 5:11
from the strathclyde motets
3 • Factus Est Repente 2:27
4 • Mitte Manum Tuam 3:28
5 • Data Est Mihi 4:33
6. Jonathan Dove • Into Thy Hands 6:26
7. Ola Gjeilo • Prelude 3:27
8. Judith Bingham • The Darkness Is No Darkness 4:55
9. Samuel Sebastian Wesley • Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace 4:22
10. Herbert Howells • I salvator mundi 2:16
11. Requiem • II Psalm 23 2:51
12 • III Requiem Aeternam (1) 3:51
13 • IV Psalm 121 2:37
14 • V Requiem Aeternam (2) 4:21
15 • VI I Heard a voice from heaven 5.15
16. Morten Lauridsen • O magnum mysterium 6.15
Reviews:
Wonderful Sofia Vokalensemble’s recording of my folk-inspired ‘Prelude’ for a cappella choir, from their 2010 CD: https://t.co/iMoQ5UjxCy
— Ola Gjeilo (@olagjeilo) March 25, 2014
“A glorious collection of choral works from Britain and America… This disc will surely bring this wonderful music out of the darkness and into the light.”
– Discovery Records
“Ollén has created a wonderfully imaginative programme to show his young singers at their polished best, potent i MacMillian’s motets and heart-melting in Judith Bingham’s The Darkness Is No Darkness”
– Classic FM, Sept edition