New Dublin Voices - "O Holy Night" arr. Eoin Conway

New Dublin Voices, conducted by Bernie Sherlock, sings a contemporary arrangement of the famous music of "O Holy Night" by Adolphe Adam, here arranged by Dublin-based composer Eoin Conway and recorded in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. In Eoin's own words: "O Holy Night used to be my favourite Christmas carol. Then over-exposure gradually made it my least favourite. The standard version, apart from being over-done and made to be roared out, sounds too grandiose (at least to my ears) to evoke any of the humble images suggested in the text: a starlit night; shepherds on a hillside; a newborn in a manger. So why write an arrangement of it? Because I remember when it used to be my favourite, and its immense popularity shows that it still speaks deeply to most people. There must be something in there worth keeping. I have attempted here to get as far away as possible from the original version. The harmony is influenced by the likes of Whitacre, Gjeilo and Esenvalds. This arrangement is written for Judith Lyons, whose pure and ethereal soprano voice I had in mind while I worked, also to New Dublin Voices, conductor Bernie Sherlock, who sing cluster chords better than anyone else in the business." Conductor: Bernie Sherlock Arranger: Eoin Conway Soloist: Alison Halpin Audio: Liam Grant Video: Laura Sheeran Recorded: in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin 2019