Karl Jenkins: Stabat Mater in the Mix

Welsh composer Karl Jenkins has finished recording his latest work and is now in the process of mixing it for a release in early 2008. Meanwhile, the world premier for “Stabat Mater” has already been slated for March 15th at the Liverpool Cathedral, with Karl Jenkins directing the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir. The “Stabat Mater” takes a 13th century Latin poem as its basis and has famously been put to sound by the likes of Verdi, Haydn and Vivaldi. Even though Karl Jenkins also uses the original, he has decided to add lyrics in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic to arrive at a “universal depiction of grief”. And his piece is furthermore bound to differ from the classical blueprints thanks to the inclusion of “instruments indigenous to the area”, including “percussion such as the darbuka & riq and the woodwind duduk”. EMI Classics have announced that they will publish the CD to Karl Jenkins' latest effort, following in the wake of the first soundtrack of his career - “River Queen” - which immediately yielded him an award.