Luminaria Magna
Navona, 2023
8/10
The esteemed composer Hilary Tann pens a very lyrical oriented listen here, where the voices of Cappella Clausura (led by Amelia LeClair) and the exceptional organ performance of Heinrich Christiansen are front and center for the inspirational affair.
“Embertides” starts the listen with Christensen’s soothing organ in the unique opener, and “The Moor” follows with Janet Stone, Adriana Repetto, and Shannon Larkin’s sopranos and Barbara Hill, Lisa Hadley and Lisa Bloom’s altos meshing for a very powerful and soaring vocal piece.
Further on, “Wales, Our Land”, welcomes Vanessa Mulvey’s dreamy flute amid the Cappella Clausura for the elegant and poetic delivery, while “Children Of Grace” hosts Adriana Repetto and Lisa Bloom’s stunning solos alongside Christensen’s emotive organ presence.
A couple of the best songs reside at the end, where “Incline Thine Ear (Psalm 86)” showcases Geoffrey Shamu’s bright trumpet that complements the intimate singing, and “Praise, My Soul (Psalm 104)” recruits Liz Jewell’s animated trumpet and Thomas Valle-Hoag’s skilled bass for the busy, highly textured finish.
The text present spotlights the rich legacy of Welsh hymnals, and also draws inspiration from Japanese Haiku and plainsong traditions. Tann’s body of work is nothing short of stunning, and these richly sacred pieces certainly continue that trend.
Travels well with: Edward Hart- Under An Indigo Sky; Jeffrey Hall- Artifacts