Officium Novum: Jan Garbarek & The Hilliard Ensemble

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Over the immanent, limpid voices Garbarek improvises equally immaculate counter-melodies. His contributions tend to be somewhat predictable, more decoration than improvisation in the fullest... — BBC Music Magazine, November 2010, 4 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 20th Sep 2010
Catalogue No: 4763855
Label: ECM
Series: New Series
Length: 61 minutes

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Jan Garbarek, David James, Rogers Covey-Crump, Steven Harrold, Gordon Jones, Komitas: Ov zarmanali

Work length4:11

$1.10

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$2.05

The Hilliard Ensemble (vocals), Jan Garbarek (saxophone), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Steven Harrold (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone)
Recorded: 2009-07-30
Recording Venue: Propstei St. Gerold

Jan Garbarek, David James, Rogers Covey-Crump, Steven Harrold, Gordon Jones, Traditional: Svjete tihij

Work length4:14

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The Hilliard Ensemble (vocals), Jan Garbarek (saxophone), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Steven Harrold (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone)
Recorded: 2009-07-30
Recording Venue: Propstei St. Gerold

Garbarek: Allting finns

Work length4:18

$1.10

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The Hilliard Ensemble (vocals), Jan Garbarek (saxophone), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Steven Harrold (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone)
Recorded: 2009-07-30
Recording Venue: Propstei St. Gerold

Jan Garbarek, David James, Rogers Covey-Crump, Steven Harrold, Gordon Jones, Traditional: Litany: Litany / Otche nash / Dostoino est

Work length13:06

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The Hilliard Ensemble (vocals), Jan Garbarek (saxophone), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Steven Harrold (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone)
Recorded: 2009-07-30
Recording Venue: Propstei St. Gerold

Jan Garbarek, David James, Rogers Covey-Crump, Steven Harrold, Gordon Jones, Komitas: Surb, surb

Work length6:40

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The Hilliard Ensemble (vocals), Jan Garbarek (saxophone), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Steven Harrold (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone)
Recorded: 2009-07-30
Recording Venue: Propstei St. Gerold

Pärt: Most Holy Mother of God

Work length4:34

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Jan Garbarek (tenor saxophone), The Hilliard Ensemble (vocals), Jan Garbarek (soprano saxophone), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Steven Harrold (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone)
Recorded: 2009-07-30
Recording Venue: Propstei St. Gerold

Jan Garbarek, David James, Rogers Covey-Crump, Steven Harrold, Gordon Jones, Traditional: Tres morillas m'enamoran

Work length3:32

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The Hilliard Ensemble (voice), Jan Garbarek (saxophone), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Steven Harrold (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone)
Recorded: 2009-07-30
Recording Venue: Propstei St. Gerold

Jan Garbarek, David James, Rogers Covey-Crump, Steven Harrold, Gordon Jones, Komitas: Sirt im sasani

Work length4:06

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The Hilliard Ensemble (vocals), Jan Garbarek (saxophone), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Steven Harrold (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone)
Recorded: 2009-07-30
Recording Venue: Propstei St. Gerold

Jan Garbarek, David James, Rogers Covey-Crump, Steven Harrold, Gordon Jones, Komitas: Hays hark nviranats ukhti

Work length6:25

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The Hilliard Ensemble (vocals), Jan Garbarek (saxophone), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Steven Harrold (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone)
Recorded: 2009-07-30
Recording Venue: Propstei St. Gerold

Jan Garbarek, David James, Rogers Covey-Crump, Steven Harrold, Gordon Jones, Pérotin: Alleluia. Nativitas

Work length5:20

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The Hilliard Ensemble (vocals), Jan Garbarek (saxophone), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Steven Harrold (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone)
Recorded: 2009-07-30
Recording Venue: Propstei St. Gerold

Garbarek: We Are The Stars

Work length4:18

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The Hilliard Ensemble (vocals), Jan Garbarek (saxophone), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Steven Harrold (tenor), Gordon Jones (baritone)
Recorded: 2009-07-30
Recording Venue: Propstei St. Gerold

Nur ein Weniges noch

Work length0:19

$1.10

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Bruno Ganz (narrator)
Recorded: 2009-07-30
Recording Venue: Propstei St. Gerold

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About

Long-awaited third album from one of the most touching and magical sound combinations in music today: Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek with Britain’s premier vocal group, The Hilliard Ensemble. The first album, Officium, has sold nearly 1½ million copies, and it is still in the charts as one of the top 20 best-selling classical albums of the past decade, well after its 1994 release.

The spellbinding Officium album, with Garbarek’s saxophone as a free-ranging ‘fifth voice’ with the Ensemble, gave the first indications of their immense combined musical scope and emotional power. Mnemosyne (1999) expanded the repertoire beyond ‘early music’ to embrace works both ancient and modern. Now Officium novum finds the collective at the crossroads of East and West.

A central focus is music of Armenia based on the adaptations of Komitas Vardapet, drawing upon both medieval sacred music and the bardic tradition of the Caucasus. The Hilliards studied these pieces during visits to Armenia, and the music’s modes encourage some of Garbarek’s most impassioned playing. Also included are Arvo Pärt’s “Most Holy Mother of God” in an a cappella reading, Byzantine chant, two pieces by Jan Garbarek, including a new version of “We are the stars”, plus Perotin’s “Alleluia, Nativitas”.

Reviews

November 2010

Over the immanent, limpid voices Garbarek improvises equally immaculate counter-melodies. His contributions tend to be somewhat predictable, more decoration than improvisation in the fullest sense, but his tone is so pleasing...and the melodies so calming to the spirit that he can be forgiven.

November 2010

the Hilliard's vocals seemingly emerg[e] from the misty darkness to engulf you in waves of pure human sound. Garbarek's sax weaves within, soars over and ducks below them, like some benign but authoritative, other-worldly presence. His own We Are The Stars is nothing less than spellbinding.

November 2010

The frisson created by the Hilliards' chaste vocalising and the raw wailing of Garbarek's saxophone manifests as sacred versus profane, like a chilled jazzer idling against a church wall...It's a pretty seductive formula that still creates a fair measure of magic.

19th September 2010

On Officium Novum, these ageless musicians look to the Orthodox music of Armenia, Russia and Byzantium, although there’s more besides, including Nativitas, by the 12th-century Gallic composer Pérotin, and Arvo Pärt’s touching prayer Most Holy Mother of God. Immensely moving.

17th September 2010

The most successful piece is the 13-minute "Litany", where both elements contribute without crowding. Elsewhere, the two blend best when Garbarek's sax most closely resembles the dry warmth of the duduk flute, as on "Ov zarmanali".

1st October 2010

Garbarek’s not one for idle doodling. Neither does he get stuck in a rut. Each piece summons a different response...So please welcome Officium Novum. Neither classical nor jazz, neither new nor old, this music simply exists, for everyone’s wonder and nourishment.

Officium Novum: Jan Garbarek & The Hilliard Ensemble

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