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Lux et veritas (Light and truth) is the new album from Will Todd with the professional chamber choir Tenebrae.
Todd’s music has a universal appeal and he has been hailed as 'one of the UK’s most sought-after, versatile composers' (Tempo Magazine). For this collection of sumptuous new choral works (some a cappella or with organ, some accompanied by the English Chamber Orchestra) Tenebrae is conducted by the choir’s director Nigel Short. This new release follows Will Todd’s last choral album The Call of Wisdom, featuring music commissioned for HRH The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee service in St Paul’s Cathedral in 2012.
The title of this album, Lux et veritas (Light and truth), draws together the sentiments of the 14 pieces so beautifully recorded by Nigel Short and Tenebrae in St Augustine’s Church, London in April 2014.
When I began programming the recording I looked back through works I had previously written and there were several which felt right: O lux beata, Exalt us in your love and the upper-voices Precious moment (from my Songs of peace) as well as the setting of Ben Dunwell’s beautiful text Tidings. But I also felt inspired to write new material, so seven of these pieces are completely new for this album. With the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War One upon us in 2014 some of these reflect on the broad and ever-present issue of peace. Some of the music has been inspired by my own deeply personal journey in recent years sparked by the illness of my daughter Rowan. All of the new pieces flow from grappling with difficult things and working towards a restful, inner solution. Some of the tracks use my own words but I have set the wonderful Celtic Blessing text which speaks powerfully of a sense of well-being and spiritual safety. There is also a beautiful new text by Catherine Lomas entitled Encircled. The calming and spiritual nature of all the pieces on this disc could not have had better interpreters than Nigel Short conducting the amazing Tenebrae. Wonderful musicians bringing my ideas to life.
Will Todd © 2014
