Words Adorned
Navona, 2021
8/10
The Grammy winning chamber choir The Crossing return under Donald Nally’s conducting and with Takht musical direction by Hanna Khoury, as they illuminate ancient Andalusian poetry in the Muwashshah tradition
Kareem Roustom’s “Embroidered Verses” starts the listen with cautious strings, where waves of soaring, harmonic vocals enter the often full and vocally strong chapters that occasionally move slower with much emphasis on percussion.
The middle track, “Of Nights And Solace”, by Kinan Abou-afach, places much emphasis on moody violin, as the building vocal work illustrates a profound skill. The deeper chapters benefit from strategic cello, where the setting turns quick with incredible dynamics that unfold amid a poetic quality.
The final track, “When He Appeared”, is a live selection, and captures much passion and emits a cultured, animated, vocally stunning delivery in the very capable hands of the all star cast.
The solo vocal work from Dalal Abu Amneh, and the inclusion of the oud, qanun, violin, cello, and percussion makes for another versatile and modern, historical adventure in The Crossing’s already revered body of work that certainly won’t disappoint fans and is an ideal starting point for the first time listener.
Travels well with: Inna Faliks- Reimagine: Beethoven & Ravel; Carl Vollrath- Old & New Poetry