‘Echoes and Traces’ brings 900-year-old plainsong fragment back to life

Eight new choral works inspired by a 900-year-old plainsong fragment from Orkney will be premiered in St Magnus Cathedral tomorrow evening, Monday.

The Kirkwall performance of Echoes and Traces, by world-renowned choral group Cappella Nova, is one of seven taking place across Scotland, but is particularly significant because the plainsong fragment, Nobilis Humilis, originated from Orkney and celebrated St Magnus.

The commissioned composers includes those working within contemporary classical, folk, electronica and world-music genres, so as to best represent the wealth of compositional talent currently in Scotland: Sally Beamish, Rory Boyle, Stuart MacRae, Savourna Stevenson, Aidan O’Rourke, Ailie Robertson, Matthew Whiteside and Hanna Tuulikki.

The performance begins at 7.30pm, and tickets are available from The Orcadian Bookshop.