SOMM Recordings announces the exciting label debut of Voice with Hildegard Portraits, marking the tenth anniversary of the canonisation of the 12th-century spiritual leader, theologian, mystic, scientist and composer, St. Hildegard of Bingen.
Hailed by Gramophone as inheritors of “the slot left by the dissolution of Anonymous 4”, Voice – Emily Burn, Victoria Couper and Clemmie Franks – formed in 2006. Singing together since their early teens in the Oxford Girls’ Choir, and as members of Stevie Wishart’s Sinfonye, they have toured throughout the UK, USA and Europe.
Hildegard Portraits draws on close relationships between Voice and the featured composers. It takes its title from the first recording of Laura Moody’s seven-part setting of Hildegard’s letters forming a portrait, Moody says, of “not so much a saint, seer or symbol, but a woman who lived and loved”.
Their collaboration with “friend and mentor” Stevie Wishart continues with first recordings of Aseruz trium vocum and O choruscans lux (choir version), responses to what Voice describe as “the soaring, melismatic lines, the flourishes and ornamentation, and mesmerising unison sound” of St. Hildegard’s own music, heard to sublime effect in six pieces, including O clarissima mater, O virtus sapientie and Nunc gaudeant.
Other exclusive/first recordings include Marcus Davidson’s Musical Harmony and O Boundless Ecclesia, Emily Levy’s compelling blend of folk-inspired melody and Hildegardian ornamentation, How Sweetly You Burn, and Tim Lea Young’s Three Wings: pt.1 (all composed, like Moody’s title work, for Voice).
Ivan Moody’s O quam mirabilis exquisitely sets Hildegard’s own text “expressing to perfection awe at the mystery of the Creator God”.
Voice has self-released two albums – Musical Harmony (2013) and Patterns of Love (2015). Collaborative releases include I Have Set My Hert So Hy with Dufay Collective (2015), and Janáček’s The Diary of One Who Disappeared; Moravian Folksongs; Říkadla with Julius Drake and Nicky Spence (2019).
On This Recording
- Responsorium: O clarissima mater
- O quam mirabilis
- Humility
- Universe as Body
- Three Wings: pt 1 **
- Antiphona:O virtus sapientie
- Musical Harmony **
- Aseruz trium vocum *
- Sermon
- Sing
- Antiphona: O mirum admirandum
- O Choruscans lux (choir version)*
- Antiphona: O orzchis ecclesia
- O Boundless Ecclesia *
- O Woman
- Love
- How Sweetly You Burn **
- Antiphona: Unde quocumque venientes
- The Living Light
- Antiphona: Nunc gaudeant *
St. Hildegard of Bingen arr. Wishart/Voice
Ivan Moody
Laura Moody - Hildegard Portraits *
Tim Lea Young
St. Hildegard of Bingen arr. Wishart/Voice
Marcus Davidson
Stevie Wishart arr. Voice
Laura Moody - Hildegard Portraits *
St. Hildegard of Bingen arr. Wishart/Voice
Stevie Wishart
St. Hildegard of Bingen arr. Wishart/Voice
Marcus Davidson
Laura Moody - Hildegard Portraits *
Emily Levy
St Hildegard of Bingen arr. Stevie Wishart/Voice
Laura Moody - Hildegard Portraits *
St. Hildegard of Bingen arr. Wishart/Voice
* First Recordings
** Exclusive versions for this recording
Reviews:
“Many will be drawn, as with Voice’s other albums, to the beauty and precision of the three-part female harmonies, but this album additionally represents a fresh way of presenting medieval chant, and it’s highly recommended, especially to those contemplating chant repertories other than the music of Hildegard.” —James Manheim, AllMusic
“This is a Hildegard recital with a twist, the life and work of the saint (canonised in 2012) interpreted not only through her own words and music but also through responses to it by several contemporary composers, written for this trio of women’s voices…
The centrepiece is a cycle of miniatures by Laura Moody, each of which explores a distinct facet of Hildegard’s persona. Several of these threads are picked up by the other new works, all of which audibly relate to her music, being neo-tonal in style, with a strong dash of modality. The result is a very coherent, engaging programme.” —Fabrice Fitch, Gramophone
