Talbot: Path of Miracles

Featuring

Nigel Short
Tenebrae
Joby Talbot

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Composer Biography

Joby Talbot, the composer of "Path of Miracles," has a diverse musical background, including composing for film (like "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") and television (like "The League of Gentlemen"), and performing with the pop phenomenon The Divine Comedy.

Compositional Technique

Joby Talbot introduces "Path of Miracles" with a vocal effect based on the Bunun aboriginal 'Pasiputput' from Taiwan, where low voices rise in volume and pitch, creating random overtones.

Composition History

Joby Talbot's "Path of Miracles" was commissioned by Nigel Short, the founder and director of the vocal ensemble Tenebrae, after Short and Gabriel Crouch proposed a new piece about the medieval pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

Performer Biography

Nigel Short, the artistic director of Tenebrae, aimed to create a new kind of choral group that combined the passionate sound of large cathedral choirs with the precision of ensembles like the King's Singers.

Composition History

The musical structure of "Path of Miracles" by Joby Talbot was inspired by his trip to northern Spain with his family, where he visited important points of the Camino, including the abbeys and cathedrals at Roncesvalles, Burgos, Leon, and Santiago.

Performer Biography

Tenebrae, the vocal ensemble performing on this album, was founded and is directed by Nigel Short, a former member of the King's Singers.

Compositional Technique

The libretto for "Path of Miracles" combines quotations from medieval texts, passages from the Roman liturgy, and original poetry by Robert Dickinson, who was chosen for his ability to reflect on the pilgrimage.