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Jazz icon John Tchicai (composer) and lutheran pastor Kristian Høeg (text and idea) are breaking new grounds with the cantata ”Hymn to Sophia”. Joyfully rather than austere the music is exploring the spiritual domain for a postmodern age. Inspired by the Biblical notion of God's Wisdom, Sophia, Tchicai*has weaved a solid fabric of various musical textures: Eastern Orthodox and early Western church music, improvisation, Danish hymns. Transcending barriers of style and tradition a rich blend of materials is presented in a unified vision of new sacred music.
The score for ”Hymn to Sophia” was commissioned by The Danish State Art Foundation and written for four classically trained solo singers, a mixed adult choir, a young girls' choir, two marimbas, drum set, contrabass, two violins, bass clarinet dub. sopraninosax, alto clarinet dub. sopranosax.
Five pieces of improvisations led by John Tchicai concludes the CD. This time Tchicai is stretching out in the church on tenor saxophone with Peter Ole Jørgensen on percussion and the young composer Frederik Magle aptly using the unsuspected potential of an electro-pneumatic church organ. This is another example of the evolving Danish new sacred music, which makes for a fascinating comparison with the cantata.
The CD ”Hymn to Sophia” has been warmly recommended by Rector Peter Danstrup, Rythmic Music Conservatory, and Rector Steen Pade, The Royal Danish Academy of Music.
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