Customer Reviews

Joby Talbot: Path of Miracles [Hybrid SACD]

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This CD is life changing, Tenebrae does a fantastic job of blending the traditional British choir boy sound and the new age semi-atonal mature voice colors brilliantly. The singers of the group are in fact very versatile, ranging from opera singers to English church choir products. This choir is a prime example of what makes a good choral sound, a strong full bass presence and getting lighter and lighter on the way up to the sopranos. The choir's diction is impeccable and their precision is spot on. At times this group sounds like a chorale of 60 voices (even though they are under 20 singers), showing that size of ensemble is irrelevant if you have the right singers. I recommend this choir to anybody as a model for which to build a choir.

I first heard part of this album on New Sounds on NPR. I didn't catch the name of the composer, so I actually had to wait until the next day when the show's playlist was posted online to find out. I rarely remember to do something like that for an hour, let alone a full day later.

Fortunately, the album was worth the effort. I was fascinated by the modern composition and performance celebrating a journey that is undertaken today just as it was hundreds of years ago.

Path of Miracles is not for everyone, but fans of new age and chant should give it a listen.