The Voice of St. Columba

Written for the Hilliard Ensemble and the strings of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, the composer sets two texts from St. Columba about the power of the human voice. The work is divided into two parts in line with the texts, with string orchestral episodes preceding each. Despite some divisi in the string writing, The Voice of St. Columba promotes the clarity and directness of the texts through its simplicity. Part one, “Colum’s Voice”, is a description of the extraordinary physical and magical power of St. Columba’s voice, and its revelatory qualities are observed in part two, “On Hinba”.