Ecstatic Visions
Neuma, 2026
9/10
Stephanie Lamprea’s stunning voice is met with Alistair MacDonald’s exciting electronics across these 5 pieces that pairs historical visionaries and modern technology via contemporary classical and experimental ideas.
Angélica Negrón’s “Letras para cantar” opens with Lamprea’s distinct vocal inflections that illuminate the poetry of the 17th century nun from New Spain, Juana Inés de la Cruz, amid swirling electronics.
The title track, by Alistair MacDonald, then follows and was commissioned for the Glasgow Cathedral Festival, which pairs Lamprea’s pipes with the cathedral’s great bell and Hildegard von Bingen’s writings on gemstones and visions, while Wende Bartley’s “Ellipsis” details the 3 phases of the moon (waxing, full, and waning), in association with 3 archetypes of woman (virgin, mother, and crone) via the strong attention to tonality.
Near the end, “The Fury of Beautiful Bones” from The Furies”, by Eric Chasalow, allows for Anne Sexton’s raw confessional poetry to be complemented by Macdonald’s unpredictable electronics that give off videogame-esque nods, and “Post-Singularity Songs” exits with a monodrama fueled by creation myth co-authored with ChatGPT, where poetry by Emily Dickinson and John Donne, and text from a specially created poetry-generating AI explores dust, death, and free will in a digital universe thanks to Robert Laidlow’s vision.
A highly creative effort that dissects the physicality of sound, Lamprea’s fascinating vocal technique’s and Macdonald’s live electronics meet at a very interesting and insightful intersection of modern-classical that makes every moment impactful.
Travels well with: Christopher Shultis- Waldmusik; Percussia- Murmuration