Sacred Bridges (2005)

It is the presence of the always innovative King's Singers that will draw buyers to this CD, but the album equally represents the efforts of the German-based ensemble Sarband. With a partly Turkish membership, Sarband has launched the idealistic project of making music that incorporates features of Near Eastern traditions as well as those from the tradition of European concert music. They've participated in recordings of medieval Spanish music, where such a fusion is normal, and their speculative The Waltz: Ecstasy and ... Read More

It is the presence of the always innovative King's Singers that will draw buyers to this CD, but the album equally represents the efforts of the German-based ensemble Sarband. With a partly Turkish membership, Sarband has launched the idealistic project of making music that incorporates features of Near Eastern traditions as well as those from the tradition of European concert music. They've participated in recordings of medieval Spanish music, where such a fusion is normal, and their speculative The Waltz: Ecstasy and Mysticism mused on the dual sacred and secular quality of dance. Sacred Bridges uncovers music closer to our own time than that of medieval Spain and more firmly documented that on the waltz CD, and it is both Sarband's best release to date and a testament to the consistent freshness of the King's Singers.The music consists of psalm settings of the seventeenth century, written by Christian, Jewish, and Islamic composers. The seemingly anomalous Islamic contribution comes from a composer... Read Less