Track Listing

1. Earth Prayer
2. Spirit Dance
3. The Splendour Falls
4. Clouds
5. Wind Of Delight
6. The Veil Of Stars
7. In Lovely Blue
8. Circle Of Stones
9. The Minstrel's Wish
10. Iona
11. Magic Circle
12. Chalice
13. As Dreams Are Made Of

Product Details

• Released on: 1999-09-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

From Amazon.co.uk
Composer Bill Douglas once again showcases the Ars Nova Singers in addition to revisiting his love of poetry, setting to original music the verse of master wordsmiths on four selections of Earth Prayer. Effectively using offerings from each poet, Douglas is able to maintain the prayerful throughline of the collection beginning with the title track on which the Singers intone "Dona Nobis Pacem" ("Grant Us Peace"). The emotional posture is set remarkably well with this piece--restrained, sparse rather than decorous, including a lovely string interlude and soft piano. The pace quickens with plentiful horns and percussive dance rhythms as on instrumentals "Spirit Dance" and the Celtic folk music influence of "Wind of Delight." "The Splendour Falls", a stylised and dramatic piece, pays homage to Lord Tennyson's famous words, where other selections are brought to life by the words of Shakespeare and Thomas Traherne, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and on the worshipful "As Dreams Are Made Of", William Butler Yeats. Choral music fans will particularly enjoy the understated elegance of compositions featuring the Ars Nova Singers. --Paige La Grone