July Jewels

As the swelter of high summer in Pensacola has drawn me increasingly indoors, I have felt led to revisit a diverse assortment of classics and old favorites as well as to keep newer musical discoveries on repeat!

First, for the old gold…

Libera

I discovered the British boys choir in the 2000s, and while classical crossover is somewhat less of a novelty than it used to be, some beauty is truly timeless… like in the powerful and meditative “Sancte” https://youtu.be/XpFudAZF1bA

The pavane-like quality of the music never fails to comfort me in the depths of my soul. Its Latin lyrics are an invocation of the Holy Spirit; the bridge that begins with a soloist singing “Creator, mysterium” in a pure boy soprano has often brought a tear to my eye.

“Something Sings” is also deeply moving, albeit in a somewhat more haunting way. The lyrics are loosely adapted from a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson called “Music,” which seems to me a meditation on the beauty and goodness of “being” itself, whether it is obviously and clearly beautiful or is hidden behind ugliness: https://youtu.be/DE28CclA-ik

Nightnoise 

The Irish folk-jazz fusion band rambled into my life when I was in high school, leaving an indelible mark upon my own personal musical style, especially Triona’s uniquely Irish piano style. Their first album, “At the End of the Evening,” represents this fusion with the optimism and purity that first albums capture so well. Some tracks lean more toward jazz while other lean more toward folk, but the results are nostalgic, wistful, and whimsical at turns. “Hugh” is simply one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard in my life, and “Snow on a High Ground” is a classic that has stood the test of time. Incidentally, this album was first released the year I was born! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kYml83vE6dVZxuVs11MaQyCbKNygckLu8

…and now for the new favorites!

Bear McCreary- “Rings of Power”

Whatever people’s impressions of the new Amazon series “Rings of Power” (mine are mostly favorable, because of endearing and fascinating characterizations and lush visuals, among other things), the general consensus seems to be that the soundtrack is STUNNING, and I must concur! Among my most favorite tracks are the following:

“Nori Brandyfoot,” a brightly rhythmic minor key theme with a strong Celtic flavor. It exudes equal measures of adventurousness and bittersweetness that perfectly suit the little harfoot it is named after! It pleasantly reminds me of David Arkenstone’s symphonic sojourns, especially “A Celtic Book of Days.”

“Khazad-Dum”… Hahaha! This track is so fun… The robust, bombastic mock-seriousness of the brass and bass singers evoke so well the dwarves, a people whose pride and stony wills more than compensate for what they lack in stature. The deep, driving, “geometrically balanced” melody speaks of their determination to “dig deep” into the rocks to carve out their kingdom.

“Elrond Half-Elven,” a profoundly tender, even romantic, theme that is brought to life by what I can only call “fragrant” strings. It speaks eloquently of a character that Tolkien described as “noble and as fair in face as an elf lord, as strong as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves and as kind as summer.” This is what friend-love SOUNDS like…

Kate Rusby

During the pandemic, one of my favorite folk singers, Kate Rusby, diverged from her usual traditional and traditionally-inspired songs to pay tribute to some newer favorites from pop music on an album called “Hand Me Down.” https://katerusby.bandcamp.com/album/hand-me-down The results are simply charming! I love to hear her strong Yorkshire accent singing familiar phrases like “Joost another manic Mondeh” or “I see your true colors, that’s why I luv yer!” However, the most irresistible transformation occurs on her cover of Taylor Swift’s "Shake It Off.” For me, the confidence and sass become even more convincing than in the original version since they are coming from a middle-aged British mum who has seen more of life and has perhaps had even more to “shake off” in becoming who she is today. I like that it integrates both folk and electronic instrumentation to addictive effect! There might be some dancing whenever I play this one!

Longing for Orpheus

This independent electronica and ambient music project by Derek Smootz deserves more attention than it seems to have at the moment! Having drawn me in with a luscious, atmospheric instrumental single, “The Arrow and the Falling Star” (which brought me into the heart of an elven forest!), I was happy to discover the album called “Somnia,” in which each track is a collaboration with a female vocalist, some with theater and some with opera background. Lush and luminous in a night-sky sort of way, this is truly music to dream to! I know not everyone in my audience is necessarily fond of electronic music, but the shimmer and sparkle of new music is often what inspires me to bring new life to older melodies… and there is nothing that so effectively captures the sound of light itself, like my favorite track “A Roomful of Stars”! https://longingfororpheus.bandcamp.com/album/somnia

“She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of life in its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see.” -Zora Neal Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God