O Guiding Night - The Genesis Foundation’s second major collaboration with The Sixteen is released today

Harry Christophers and The Sixteen release world premiere recordings of new works by three of Britain’s most exciting composers
Tarik O’Regan, Roderick Williams & Ruth Byrchmore

The productive partnership between The Sixteen and the Genesis Foundation continues with the release in May 2011 of a CD of six new choral works from three of Britain’s most exciting contemporary composers: Tarik O’Regan, Roderick Williams and Ruth Byrchmore.

The new works are inspired by two poems - St. Teresa of Ávila’s Nada te turbe (Let nothing trouble you) and St. John of the Cross’s poem En una noche oscura (One Dark Night). Both St. Teresa and St. John were major figures in the Spanish mystics movement during the Catholic Reformation in Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries. Their attempts to express in words their experience of a mystical communion with Christ produced some exquisite poetry and writings which went on to influence and shape the Spanish language.

The composers’ brief for this project was to present atmospheric and mystical works based on the poems of St. Teresa and St. John that will enhance the church music repertoire both for the divine service as well as the concert repertoire.

Founder and chairman of the Genesis Foundation, John Studzinski CBE, still recites St. Teresa’s short prayer every day: ‘It’s so simple, yet profound: it addresses the whole question of achieving a deep-seated peace: of sorting out one’s inner balance, one’s energies and priorities, with God as the anchor of all things. “Patience obtains everything” I find a very powerful concept. St. Teresa was a deeply impressive, nurturing and sustaining character, one to whom I feel very closely drawn. I hope this project may help put more people in touch with her and her remarkable life.’

The Sixteen’s Founder and Conductor Harry Christophers, says: “Once again it is John Studzinski, through his inspirational Genesis Foundation, who has been the architect of this project. His total belief in the profound writings of these two remarkable saints has resulted in three contrasting composers, Ruth Byrchmore, Tarik O’Regan and Roderick Williams, setting to music St. Teresa’s prayer and St. John of the Cross’s poem. They have all rewarded us with very individual and highly personal insights into these texts.”

The disc also features one further work from each of the composers - O’Regan’s O vera digna hostia which was written for Winchester Cathedral; Byrchmore’s A Birthday composed in 2004 as a St. Cecilia’s Day anthem for the joint choirs of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral and based on the famous poem by Christina Rossetti; and Williams’s O Adonai which was commissioned by Jeffrey Skidmore for his Birmingham-based choir Ex Cathedra.

O GUIDING NIGHT

The Spanish Mystics

UK Release Date: May 2011
Catalogue Number: COR16090

Tarik O’REGAN

fleeting, God*
O vera digna hostia
Beloved, all things ceased*

Roderick WILLIAMS

O Guiding Night*
Let nothing trouble you*
O Adonai

Ruth BYRCHMORE

The Dark Night*
Prayer of St. Teresa of Ávila*
A Birthday

* Commissioned by the Genesis Foundation

Follow this link to buy the CD on The Sixteen website

Read the full press release on the Genesis Foundation website