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Essential Anuna

Anna
1 disc

1. Blue Bird, The
2. Cormacus Scripsit
3. Wild Song, The
4. Siil, A Rin
5. Wind on Sea
6. Rising of the Sun, The
7. Flower of Maherally, The
8. Dlamn
9. Kyrie
10. Deep Dead Blue
11. Blackthorn
12. Behind the Closed Eye
13. August
14. Christus Resurgens
15. Victimae
16. Pie Jesu
17. Hymn to the Virgin
18. Cynara
19. War Is Over - (bonus track)
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Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 9555
Credits

Producer Michael McGlynn; Declan Masterson; Michael McGlynn; Brian Masterson
Engineer Declan Masterson; Brian Masterson
Anna: Kim Lynch, Michael McGlynn, Miriam Blennerhassett, John McGlynn, Monica Donlon, Lucy Champion, Garrath Patterson, Lynn Hilary, Joanna Fagan, Sarah O Kennedy, Derina Johnson (vocals).
Personnel: John McGlynn (guitar); Anne Marie O'Farrell, Dennis Kelly (harp); Aingeala DeBurca (violin); Declan Masterson (tin whistle, Uilleann pipe); Kenneth Edge (saxophone); Bernard Reilly, Noel Eccles (percussion).
Recording information: Switzerland (1993-2004); Windmill Lane Studios (1993-2004).
Director: John McGlynn.
Arrangers: Michael McGlynn; John McGlynn.
ESSENTIAL ANUNA is a career overview of the compelling Celtic choral ensemble. At 19 tracks, ESSENTIAL is a generous compilation of Anuna's output, highlighting its dramatic, artful explorations of medieval choral music that encompasses Irish, Latin, Greek, and Scots Gaelic traditions. On paper, Anuna's pan-historical and cross-cultural interests sound like a scattershot approach for a group, yet in practice the music works beautifully, thanks mostly to composer Michael McGlynn's challenging, meticulous arrangements and the gorgeous blend of tones achieved by Anuna's members.
Anuna dabbles in traditional church music ("Christus Resurgens"), Irish folk ("The Flower of Maherally"), and McGlynn's own 21st-century updates of these forms ("Victimae"). The group even takes a turn at an Elvis Costello and Bill Frisell tune entitled "Deep Dead Blue" (which Anuna imbues with an appropriately haunting and eerie cast). Though the personnel of Anuna is constantly rotating (the ensemble averages around 15 singers), its sound is never less than full and seamlessly integrated. Anuna makes evocative music that feels ancient, contemporary, and timeless at once, and ESSENTIAL is an ideal way to sample its talents.