Starter Packs

Complete your collection with these curated titles, grouped at a special discount.

Shop Now
SOMM Recordings

Tomorrow is today - Songs of love, beauty and the passing of

$20.99

Details

Composer
Hazel Askew, Cesar Bergen, Hildegard of Bingen, Traditional Ukrainian, Traditional Yoruba, Tradition
Artist
Papagena
Format
CD
Label
SOMM Recordings
Released
Apr 17, 2026
Catalog #
SOMMCD 0721
UPC
748871072121

About

SOMM Recordings has had the good fortune to add to it's wide-ranging catalogue the "extraordinary voices" (BBC Radio 3) of the all-female a cappella vocal quintet Papagena these past few years. Formed in 2015, the ensemble is made up of sopranos: Elizabeth Drury, Imogen Ram-Prasad, and Suzzie Vango; mezzo: Shivani Rattan; and alto: Sarah Tenant-Flowers. What distinguishes Papagena is their gloriously adventurous programming, which defies pigeonholing: medieval, classical, folk, and contemporary music from around the world, juxtaposed with repertoire from Hildegard of Bingen to Katy Perry and all points in between. Papagena's debut album, Nuns and Roses, was self-released in 2017. Their second, The Darkest Midnight, was released in 2018 by SOMM. Selected as MusicWeb International's Recording of the Month, it reached No.6 in the classical charts and No.1 in Amazon's classical download chart. In 2020, Papagena's second release with SOMM was Hush!, a Recommended Recording by MusicWeb International, which was praised by John Quinn as "another winner from Papagena. More, please!" SOMM is happy to oblige. SOMM's third collaboration with Papagena is Tomorrow is Today: Songs of love, beauty and the passing of time. As an example of the unique diversity of their programming, this new collection opens with a set of four songs that are united by ideas of love in various guises. The Gallant Weaver with words by Robert Burns tells of the sincere love of a humble girl for her weaver. Sì Ch'io Vorrei Morire (Yes, I should wish to die), a madrigal by Claudio Monteverdi, deals with passionate sexual attraction. Oy Khodyt Son (Oh, sleep is coming) is a traditional Ukrainian melody about love within a family unit. Kaval Sviri (The Flute is Playing) is a traditional Bulgarian song of coquettish flirtation. A sampling of other highlights from this release includes Henry Purcell's Music for a while from his incidental music for John Dryden and Nathaniel Lee's 1692 play Oedipus. Holi, in a setting by Papagena's mezzo-soprano Shivani Rattan, is an Indian celebration song. The motet, Sicut lilium, is attributed to Leonora d'Este, a daughter of Lucrezia Borgia. From a collection of the earliest surviving examples of polyphonic music written in English, is the carol, Ther is no rose. The title song Tomorrow is Today, commissioned by Papagena from Janet Wheeler with a text by the composer's daughter Sarah Cattley, is subtitled Dawn Chorus, and is filled with bird references reflecting the ensemble's name of the bird-catcher's wife in Mozart's Magic Flute. Dolce Cantavi, written in the style of an Italian madrigal by American Caroline Shaw, also contains allusions of birdsong, natural beauty, and the dawning hope of love; while in Welcome somer, the Canadian composer Don Macdonald partners Chaucer's text with music that references medieval rhythms within a more contemporary harmonic idiom.

Tracklist 18 tracks

  1. 1 The Gallant Weaver (arr. S. Tenant-Flowers for 5 voices) 05:23
    Track
    1
    Title
    The Gallant Weaver (arr. S. Tenant-Flowers for 5 voices)
    Duration
    05:23
    Composer
    James MacMillan
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  2. 2 Si ch'io vorrei morire (arr. S. Tenant-Flowers for 5 voices) 03:31
    Track
    2
    Title
    Si ch'io vorrei morire (arr. S. Tenant-Flowers for 5 voices)
    Duration
    03:31
    Composer
    Claudio Monteverdi
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  3. 3 Oy khodyt son (arr. S. Tenant-Flowers for 5 voices) 04:08
    Track
    3
    Title
    Oy khodyt son (arr. S. Tenant-Flowers for 5 voices)
    Duration
    04:08
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  4. 4 Kaval sviri (arr. P. Lyondev for 5 voices) 03:28
    Track
    4
    Title
    Kaval sviri (arr. P. Lyondev for 5 voices)
    Duration
    03:28
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  5. 5 Oedipus, King of Thebes, Z. 583: Music for a while (arr. G. Eriksson for 5 voices) 03:52
    Track
    5
    Title
    Oedipus, King of Thebes, Z. 583: Music for a while (arr. G. Eriksson for 5 voices)
    Duration
    03:52
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  6. 6 3 Indian Celebration Songs: No. 2. Holi 03:42
    Track
    6
    Title
    3 Indian Celebration Songs: No. 2. Holi
    Duration
    03:42
    Composer
    Shivani Rattan
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  7. 7 Sicut lilium 02:00
    Track
    7
    Title
    Sicut lilium
    Duration
    02:00
    Composer
    Suor Leonora D'Este
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  8. 8 There is no rose 02:42
    Track
    8
    Title
    There is no rose
    Duration
    02:42
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  9. 9 O cruor sanguinis (arr. for 5 voices) 01:39
    Track
    9
    Title
    O cruor sanguinis (arr. for 5 voices)
    Duration
    01:39
    Composer
    Hildegard von Bingen
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  10. 10 This Woman's Work (arr. J. Clements for 5 voices) 04:33
    Track
    10
    Title
    This Woman's Work (arr. J. Clements for 5 voices)
    Duration
    04:33
    Composer
    Kate Bush
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  11. 11 Canto a Eleggua (arr. Y. Lafuente and A. Valdés for 5 voices) 03:51
    Track
    11
    Title
    Canto a Eleggua (arr. Y. Lafuente and A. Valdés for 5 voices)
    Duration
    03:51
    Composer
    Traditional
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  12. 12 Tomorrow Is Today 04:12
    Track
    12
    Title
    Tomorrow Is Today
    Duration
    04:12
    Composer
    Janet Wheeler
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  13. 13 Dolce cantavi 02:36
    Track
    13
    Title
    Dolce cantavi
    Duration
    02:36
    Composer
    Caroline Shaw
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  14. 14 I Courted a Sailor (arr. S. Vango for 5 voices) 05:42
    Track
    14
    Title
    I Courted a Sailor (arr. S. Vango for 5 voices)
    Duration
    05:42
    Composer
    Kate Rusby
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  15. 15 Welcome somer 04:04
    Track
    15
    Title
    Welcome somer
    Duration
    04:04
    Composer
    Don Macdonald
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  16. 16 Who Knows Where the Time Goes (arr. S. Vango) 03:53
    Track
    16
    Title
    Who Knows Where the Time Goes (arr. S. Vango)
    Duration
    03:53
    Composer
    Sandy Denny
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  17. 17 Order and Chaos (arr. H. James and R. Rheingans for 5 voices) 04:39
    Track
    17
    Title
    Order and Chaos (arr. H. James and R. Rheingans for 5 voices)
    Duration
    04:39
    Composer
    Helen Askew
    Ensemble
    Papagena
  18. 18 O du stille Zeit (arr. S. Wawer for 5 voices) 02:47
    Track
    18
    Title
    O du stille Zeit (arr. S. Wawer for 5 voices)
    Duration
    02:47
    Composer
    Cesar Bresgen
    Ensemble
    Papagena