Description

James Macmillan’s first concerto for percussion and orchestra, Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, was written especially for Evelyn, who gave the première in 1992 and has has performed the work many times since. One of the most popular concertos of modern times, Macmillan’s work is cast in a single movement and dedicated, touchingly, to his parents. Macmillan has based the music on the Advent plainsong with which the piece shares a name. Indeed, composition begun on the first Sunday of Advent in 1991 and concluded on Easter Sunday 1992. At the very end of the piece the music takes a corresponding liturgical detour, deriving its ideas from the Gloria of the Easter Vigil. On one level the concerto is purely abstract. On another level it explores the theology behind the Advent message.

Preview track here

Track Listing

1. Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Introit – Advent
2. Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Heartbeats
3. Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Dance – Hocket
4. Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Transition: Sequence I
5. Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Gaude, Gaude
6. Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Transition: Sequence II
7. Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Dance – Chorale
8. Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Coda – Easter
9. After the Tryst
10. …As Others See Us…: Henry VII
11. …As Others See Us…: John Wilmot
12. …As Others See Us…: John Churchill
13. …As Others See Us…: Gordon and William Wordsworth
14. …As Others See Us…: Thomas Stearns Eliot
15. …As Others See Us…: Dorothy Mary Hodgkin
16. Three Dawn Rituals: Larghetto
17. Three Dawn Rituals: Allegro Moderato
18. Three Dawn Rituals: Andante
19. Untold

Artists

Solo Percussion: Evelyn Glennie
Violin: Ruth Crouch
Piano: James Macmillan
Conductors: Jukka-Pekka Saraste & James Macmillan
Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Label

Catalyst 8287664285

—

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/72YogWD8NFW2J6gNmbwK1I
Listen on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/albums/B001GTAIXI
Listen on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/gb/album/veni-veni-emmanuel/363944655