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SOMM Recordings

African Art Song

$18.99

Details

Composer
Richard Olatunde Baker, Ayo Bankole, Joseph Bologne, Akin Euba, Chijioke Ngobili, Fred Onovwerosuoke
Artist
Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
Format
CD
Label
SOMM Recordings
Released
Jan 17, 2025
Catalog #
SOMMCD 0691
UPC
748871069121

About

Songs are the heart of the African people. -Rebeca Omordia SOMM Recordings is excited to announce African Art Song, a continuation of pianist and "African classical music pioneer" (BBC World Service), Rebeca Omordia's exquisite exploration of African classical music repertoire in her African Pianism series, in which she partners award-winning soprano Omo Bello. Throughout, an illuminating, and frequently mesmerizing musical tapestry appears, incorporating five indigenous languages and cultures with songs that merge African and Western European musical forms with African melodies to produce songs full of simplicity, playfulness, and most importantly, joy. The repertoire recorded by the two artists ranges from the love songs of Joseph Bologne (1745-1799), to works by living composers Shirley Thompson and Errollyn Wallen, whose "Peace on Earth" has grown from a song for Christmas to a song of peace for all seasons. The plaintive longing heard in "Adura fun Alafia" (Prayer to God / Prayer of Peace," by Nigerian composer Ayo Bankole, is a prayer reflecting the depth of devastation and starvation experienced during the Nigerian Civil War, known as the Biafra War (1967-1970). Ghanian-Nigerian composer Fred Onovwerosuoke's "Twelve African Songs" are a kaleidoscope of dances, healing dances and calls on the rain. Percussionist Richard Olatunde Baker's two compositions "serve as intermission, as a way of bridging the multiple musical languages". Baker's compositions join those of Ayo Bankole, Akin Euba, Christian Onyeji, and Chijioke Ngobili as first recordings. French-Nigerian Omo Bello is the winner of many of Europe's most prestigious awards, including the Luciano Pavarotti Giovani competition (2010), Arca d'Or Prize (2013), Paris International Opera Competition (2014), and more after beginning her career as a scientist. Bello combines her talents by giving charity performances in the service of medical research associations and in working with the Operabuja festival in Nigeria to build a music conservatory and promote classical music and the lyrical arts. Nigerian-Romanian Rebeca Omordia has been labelled "a classical music game changer" (Classical Music). Her recording of Errollyn Wallen's Piano Concerto won the BBC Music's 2024 Premiere Award. Alongside her wide-ranging career as a soloist and chamber musician, she is artistic director of the African Concert Series, in residence at London's Wigmore Hall. African Pianism, Volume One was hailed by Gramophone as a "fascinating new series", featuring, "a bounty of largely unfamiliar yet richly rewarding music", and selected as a Top Album of 2022 by Canada's Textura Magazine for "the remarkable music and Omordia's sterling realization." Volume Two, was named an August 2024 Gramophone Editor's Choice.

Tracklist 23 tracks

  1. 1 No. 1. Ìyá 03:48
    Track
    1
    Title
    No. 1. Ìyá
    Duration
    03:48
    Composer
    Ayo Bankole
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  2. 2 No. 2. Já ìtànná t'ó ńtàn 02:23
    Track
    2
    Title
    No. 2. Já ìtànná t'ó ńtàn
    Duration
    02:23
    Composer
    Ayo Bankole
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  3. 3 No. 3. Kìnìún 02:34
    Track
    3
    Title
    No. 3. Kìnìún
    Duration
    02:34
    Composer
    Ayo Bankole
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  4. 4 Àdúrà fún Àláfíà 03:47
    Track
    4
    Title
    Àdúrà fún Àláfíà
    Duration
    03:47
    Composer
    Ayo Bankole
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  5. 5 Òjò máa rọ̀̀! 01:32
    Track
    5
    Title
    Òjò máa rọ̀̀!
    Duration
    01:32
    Composer
    Ayo Bankole
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  6. 6 No. 1. M̀o lè j’iyán yó 00:38
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 1. M̀o lè j’iyán yó
    Duration
    00:38
    Composer
    Akin Euba
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  7. 7 No. 2. Ọrẹ̣́ mẹ̣́ta 01:46
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 2. Ọrẹ̣́ mẹ̣́ta
    Duration
    01:46
    Composer
    Akin Euba
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  8. 8 No. 3. Mo já 'wé gbégbé 01:09
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 3. Mo já 'wé gbégbé
    Duration
    01:09
    Composer
    Akin Euba
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  9. 9 No. 4. Ọmọ jọ̀wọ 01:20
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 4. Ọmọ jọ̀wọ
    Duration
    01:20
    Composer
    Akin Euba
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  10. 10 No. 5. Agbe 00:52
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 5. Agbe
    Duration
    00:52
    Composer
    Akin Euba
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  11. 11 No. 6. Ó ṣe gbè na? 01:18
    Track
    11
    Title
    No. 6. Ó ṣe gbè na?
    Duration
    01:18
    Composer
    Akin Euba
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  12. 12 Talking Drum Improvisation 01:36
    Track
    12
    Title
    Talking Drum Improvisation
    Duration
    01:36
    Composer
    Richard Olatunde Baker
    Performer
    Richard Olatunde Baker
  13. 13 No. 9. Ne nkansu 02:02
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 9. Ne nkansu
    Duration
    02:02
    Composer
    Fred Onovwerosuoke
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  14. 14 No. 10. Ngulu 02:59
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 10. Ngulu
    Duration
    02:59
    Composer
    Fred Onovwerosuoke
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  15. 15 Ubangiji makiyayina ne 06:13
    Track
    15
    Title
    Ubangiji makiyayina ne
    Duration
    06:13
    Composer
    Ishaya Yarison
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  16. 16 Ku zo, mu raira waƙa 03:48
    Track
    16
    Title
    Ku zo, mu raira waƙa
    Duration
    03:48
    Composer
    Ishaya Yarison
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  17. 17 Act II: Récitative: Enfin une foule importune… Amour deviens-moi propice 04:08
    Track
    17
    Title
    Act II: Récitative: Enfin une foule importune… Amour deviens-moi propice
    Duration
    04:08
    Composer
    Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  18. 18 Act II: Airette: Du tendre amour 05:13
    Track
    18
    Title
    Act II: Airette: Du tendre amour
    Duration
    05:13
    Composer
    Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  19. 19 Peace on Earth 03:38
    Track
    19
    Title
    Peace on Earth
    Duration
    03:38
    Composer
    Errollyn Wallen
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  20. 20 Psalm to Windrush 04:41
    Track
    20
    Title
    Psalm to Windrush
    Duration
    04:41
    Composer
    Shirley J. Thompson
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  21. 21 Giri giri 01:59
    Track
    21
    Title
    Giri giri
    Duration
    01:59
    Composer
    Christian Onyeji
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia
  22. 22 Atilogwu Dance Improvisation 02:24
    Track
    22
    Title
    Atilogwu Dance Improvisation
    Duration
    02:24
    Composer
    Richard Olatunde Baker
    Performer
    Richard Olatunde Baker
  23. 23 Selense 01:39
    Track
    23
    Title
    Selense
    Duration
    01:39
    Composer
    Chijioke Ngobili
    Performer
    Omo Bello, Rebeca Omordia