Tapestry Of Voices
Navona, 2023
8/10
An assembly of pieces in both duo and orchestral settings, Tapestry Of Voices brings 8 composers and plenty of culture and stories amid much technical and artistic ideas.
Christopher Jessup’s “Astronomia: I. When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer” opens the listen with The Kühn Choir of Prague’s harmonic voices interacting with much warmth and beauty in the uplifting climate, and “Ho, Mia Kor”, by David Gaines, follows with Bree Nichols’ bright soprano and Alexandr Starý’s dreamy piano making for much prettiness and intimacy.
Michael G Cunningham’s “Hymn” enters soon after, and in 5 chapters it showcases The Kühn Choir of Prague’s bare versus fuller moments of soaring vocal acrobatics, while Ryan Homsey’s “Your Name” blends the poetic singing of Nichols alongside Starý’s soft and agile key progressions.
Near to the end, “The Poet’s Book Of Wisdom” pairs The Kühn Choir of Prague with Marcel Javorček’s glorious piano playing for the album’s best, and Richard E. Brown’s “The Torment of Medea” exits with 16+ minutes of the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava’s and Nichols’ soprano that populates the dramatic and rich finish.
A listen that’s steeped in Greek mythology and meditations surrounding concepts of loss and mortality, the songs here are diverse, enlightening and timeless.
Travels well with: Michael Cohen- Aria; Randy Bauer- dis/entanglements