Enchanted Isle Voces8

• 1 Soay (Arr. Dale) 03:48
• 2 Theme from Harry's Game (Arr. Lawson) 04:10
• 3 Carrickfergus (Arr. Pacey) 04:32
• 4 May it be (Arr. M. Sheeran) 03:45
• 5 Agnus Dei 07:41
• 6 The Rains of Castamere (Arr. Lawson) 03:07
• 7 Pyramid Song (Arr. Lawson) 04:34
• 8 6. O Albion (Arr. Clements) 02:47
• 9 Song for Athene 06:34
• 10 The Parting Glass (Arr. Pacey) 03:43
• 11 My Luve is like a Red, Red Rose (Arr. Ešenvalds) 04:27
• 12 Let my Love be heard 04:47
• 13 Danny Boy (Arr. Pacey) 04:34
• 14 I was born for this (Arr. Lawson) 05:14
• 15 She walks in beauty 04:53
• 16 The Sun never says 04:50
• 17 Caledonia (Arr. Morgan) 05:24
• Total Runtime 01:18:50

Info for Enchanted Isle

Celebrated vocal group VOCES8 take listeners on a glorious journey through the musical landscape of Britain with their brand new album ‘Enchanted Isle’, released on Decca Classics. The recording features a broad range of music from John Tavener and Thomas Adès to Radiohead and Enya, interspersed with folk tunes, world premiere recordings and music from hit TV shows Game of Thrones and Harry’s Game.

Alongside timeless folk songs are modern hits, the new album includes Radiohead’s ‘Pyramid Song’ (from the band’s fifth studio album Amnesiac) which takes on a new dimension in this arrangement for voices, harp and strings. VOCES8 also cover ‘The Rains of Castamere’ from Game of Thrones – a piece which was first recorded for the HBO series by The National and Sigur Rós. There is also ‘I Was Born For This’ from the Grammy-nominated video game score Journey, composed by Austin Wintory, and the haunting theme from British TV drama Harry’s Game – originally written and performed by Irish band Clannad.

VOCES8 bring their distinctive vocals to folk tunes from around the British Isles – from Celtic classics ‘Danny Boy’ and ‘The Parting Glass’ to ‘Carrickfergus’, featuring the astonishing young Irish singer Sibéal (who sings in the traditional sean-nós style). The album also reaches as far afield as the abandoned Scottish island of St Kilda, with the recently-discovered tune ‘Soay’ – in a new arrangement by British composer Rebecca Dale, which includes a poignant cello solo. Other Scottish tunes to appear on the album are ‘My Luve is Like a Red Red Rose’ arranged by Latvian choral composer Ēriks Ešenvalds, and ‘Caledonia’ by Dougie MacLean, arranged by VOCES8’s own tenor Blake Morgan.

There are two world premiere recordings on the new album: VOCES8 commissioned young English composer Toby Hession to write a new a cappella choral work ‘She Walks in Beauty’; and there’s the debut recording of a new arrangement of ‘The Sun Never Says’ by American composer Dan Forrest – a stirring work for choir and solo cello. Fellow American choral writer Jake Runestad also features on the album with ‘Let My Love Be Heard’ – a setting of a text by English 19th century poet Alfred Noyes.

Completing the album are powerful choral pieces including ‘Agnus Dei’, Samuel Barber’s own arrangement of his Adagio for Strings, John Tavener’s ‘Song for Athene’, featuring excerpts from Shakespeare’s Hamlet alongside the traditional Orthodox liturgy, and ‘O Albion’ by Thomas Adès – the first ever arrangement of this movement from his string quartet, Arcadiana, set to text from William Blake’s 18th century poem ‘Visions of the Daughters of Albion’.

Together, this evocative collection of songs casts a contemporary eye on the landscape of rolling hills and green valleys, rugged mountainsides and hidden villages of the ‘Enchanted Isles’, each performed by VOCES8 in their unique, exquisite style.

Voces8

VOCES8
is one of the most exciting and versatile vocal groups in the world. The multi award-winning ensemble fulfils an international annual touring schedule across Europe, the USA, Asia and Africa. Performance venues include the Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Tokyo Opera City, Tel Aviv Opera House, National Concert Hall Taipei, Cite de la Musique in Paris, Dijon Opera House, National Centre for the Performing Arts Beijing and Shanghai Concert Hall. Highlights of the 2013/2014 season include an extensive European concert schedule in addition to tours to the USA, Indonesia, Korea, Dubai, Moscow, and for “La Folle Journee” in Nantes and Tokyo.

With a specialism in classical choral music, the group performs repertoire ranging from Renaissance polyphony to unique Jazz and Pop arrangements. The ensemble regularly commissions and collaborates with world-renowned contemporary composers including Ola Gjeilo, Roxanna Panufnik, Thomas Hewitt Jones, Alexander Levine and Ben Parry. VOCES8 is delighted to be in partnership with the acclaimed arranger, Jim Clements as Arranger in Residence.

With an ongoing programme of recordings and live broadcast, VOCES8 is heard regularly on international television and radio, including Deutschlandradio Kultur, ARTE TV, Radio France Musique, BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM. VOCES8 has recorded a series of award-winning discs for Signum Classics, including ‘Choral Tapestry’, ‘Bach Motets’, ‘Aces High’ and ‘Christmas’. The group has major recording plans for future disc releases to be announced in the coming season. VOCES8 is also an Ambassador for Edition Peters with whom it publishes arrangements and educational material, including the ‘VOCES8 Songbook’ and the ‘VOCES8 Method’.

Outreach and Education are at the core of VOCES8’s work and the group is delighted to be the flagship performance and education ensemble of the charitable music foundation, Voces Cantabiles Music (VCM). The ensemble leads an innovative series of music education workshops reaching 20,000 people annually around the world with the aim of inspiring creativity and excellence through music. The innovative education work of VCM has received praise from UNESCO. In 2013 VCM established the Gresham Centre in partnership with the Diocese of London, a vocal Centre for Excellence at Sir Christopher Wren’s beautiful St Anne & St Agnes Church, in the City of London. VOCES8 is also resident ensemble at Bedford School, Ardingly College, The Grey Coat Hospital and Milton Abbey.

Artistic collaborations with orchestras have included the Philharmonia, London Philharmonic Orchestra and period ensemble Les Inventions. VOCES8 has received support from Arts Council England, the Musicians Benevolent Fund and the Worshipful Company of Musicians. The group is also grateful for the support of official sponsor, T.M.Lewin.

Booklet for Enchanted Isle