The majority of singers come from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland with many of its members also drawn from all over the world. Their repertoire is written or arranged for the group by McGlynn, and includes reconstructions of Early and Medieval music from Ireland and beyond presented in a candle-lit, costumed ambiance that allows the group to connect with a very wide variety of audience despite the eclectic nature of the music they sing.
Anúna perform between twelve and fourteen singers, unconducted, in any performance. They are equally at home in an amplified theatrical setting or an unamplified concert hall.
Anúna created the vocal ambiance of Riverdance (1994-1996), achieved a Top 10 placing on the U.K. Singles Charts while remaining at Number 1 on the Irish singles charts for eighteen weeks. In 2012 they appeared as the "Voices of Hell" on the video game Diablo 3 [Blizzard] gaining a Game Audio Network Guild nomination for the Best Original Choral Performance in February 2013. In February 2018 the group won the Outstanding Ensemble category of the Annual Game Music Awards for their contributions to the soundtrack of the hugely successful video game Xenoblade Chronicles II. In February 2017 the group participated in an extraordinary collaboration with Noh Theatre entitled "Takahime", a Japanese adaptation of W.B. Yeats' play "At the Hawk's Well". The performance was directed by Gensho Umewaka (Japanese National Treasure) and Michael McGlynn, who also composed an original score.
While curating the Meltdown Festival at London's South Bank, Elvis Costello invited Anúna to perform as featured guests and in 2011 they featured on DVD and CD with the pioneering Australian children's entertainers The Wiggles. A number of Anúna singers have gone on to carve very successful careers as solo artists including singer-songwriter Hozier [2007 - 2012] and six of the lead soloists in the phenomenally successful Celtic Woman including Lynn Hilary and Éabha McMahon.
In complete contrast, as a classical choral ensemble Anúna have appeared at the World Sacred Music Festival in Morocco and at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall, London. They have sung at many major classical venues including the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, Shanghai Oriental Arts Centre, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, De Doelen Rotterdam, Hyogo Performing Arts Center and Orchard Hall in Tokyo, New York Town Hall and Minneapolis Symphony Hall.
They have collaborated with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland on two major concerts of McGlynn's compositions at Dublin's National Concert Hall (2009 & 2010).
Anúna have an active and highly successful Education & Outreach programme that has been responsible for workshops across China, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Israel, Sweden, Canada, Poland, the UK and The Netherlands. In 2012 they presented at the Shanghai Conservatory. In 2015 the group presented an interest Session as part of the American Choral Directors Association National Conference at Salt Lake, Utah, USA. In 2019 their sixth highly successful annual ANÚNA International Summer School in Dublin, which attracts professional and amateur choral musicians from all over the world, will take place in Dublin preceded by the first ANÚNA Winter School in February in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Anúna have released eighteen albums since 1991 and have been featured artists on three Grammy Award-winning albums. Invocation (1994) won a National Entertainment Award for Classical music, while Deep Dead Blue (1996) was nominated for a Classical Brit Award. Celtic Origins (2007), also an award-winning PBS show and DVD, became the number one selling CD on the US World Music Charts that August while September 2011 saw their album Christmas Memories reaching the Hot 100 of the Billboard Album Chart. In 2008 the choir released Invocations of Ireland, McGlynn's self-made film, an evocative depiction of the Irish landscape and its relationship to his music. This has been broadcast extensively in Australia/New Zealand, with the DVD being released on Australia's DV1 and Columbia Music Entertainment in Japan.
They have been signed to some of the world's major record labels including Decca, Universal Classics, Polygram, E1 and Philips. Michael McGlynn's sheet music is available from www.michaelmcglynn.com.
Hymn to the Virgin
Anúna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Conclamantes Deo dignum ymnum Sancte Marie
Bis per chorum hinc et inde conlaudemus Mariam
Ut uox pulset omnem aurem per laudem uicariam
Sante Marie, Sancte Marie
Maria de tribu Iuda Summi Mater Domini
Oportunam dedit curam egrotanti homini
Quod conceptum et susceptum in utero materno
Sante Marie, Sancte Marie meritum
Imploramus dignissimum
Ut mereamur solium habitare altissimum
Hec est summa hec est sancta uirgo uenerabilis
Que ex fide non recissit sed exstetit stabilis
Huic matri nec inuenta ante nec post similis
Nec de prole fuit plane humane originis
Sante Marie, Sancte Marie meritum
Imploramus dignissimum We beseech you
Ut mereamur solium habitare altissimum
Sante Marie...
The Hymn to the Virgin is a sacred song, paying tribute to the Virgin Mary. It is a musical prayer that acknowledges Mary as the mother of Jesus Christ. The lyrics are written in Latin and the song is sung by the Irish choir, Anuna. The song starts with a group of singers praising Mary, "Cantemus in omni die concinnantes uarie / Conclamantes Deo dignum ymnum Sancte Marie." It is a call to sing her praises every day in different ways, in different tones, and with all their hearts. They sing it twice over, creating a chant-like effect to emphasize the importance of their message.
The second verse then mentions how Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ, "Maria de tribu Iuda Summi Mater Domini." She is the woman who gave birth to Christ, who healed the sick and saved humankind from their sins. The verse mentions how the angel Gabriel brought the word of God to Mary, as it was written, "Gabriel aduexjt Verbum sinu prius Paterno." The last verse speaks to Mary's unique and venerable position in history, "Hec est summa hec est sancta uirgo venerabilis / Que ex fide non recissit sed exstetit stabilis." Mary did not waiver in her faith, showing remarkable strength and devotion. The prayer ends with the choir beseeching Mary for her intercession in seeking the highest throne, "Ut mereamur solium habitare altissimum."
Line by Line Meaning
Cantemus in omni die concinnantes uarie
Let us sing every day, harmoniously and with various melodies
Conclamantes Deo dignum ymnum Sancte Marie
Cry out for the worthy hymn of Saint Mary to God
Bis per chorum hinc et inde conlaudemus Mariam
Let us praise Mary twice in chorus, from here and there
Ut uox pulset omnem aurem per laudem uicariam
So that the voice may strike every ear through universal praise
Sante Marie, Sancte Marie
Holy Mary, Saint Mary
Maria de tribu Iuda Summi Mater Domini
Mary of the tribe of Judah, the Mother of the Lord most high
Oportunam dedit curam egrotanti homini
She gave timely care to a sick man
Gabriel aduexjt Verbum sinu prius Paterno
Gabriel carried the Word from the Father's bosom
Quod conceptum et susceptum in utero materno
Which was conceived and received in the mother's womb
Sante Marie, Sancte Marie meritum
Holy Mary, Saint Mary, your merit
Imploramus dignissimum
We beseech you most worthy one
Ut mereamur solium habitare altissimum
That we may merit to dwell on the highest throne
Hec est summa hec est sancta uirgo uenerabilis
This is the highest, this is the holy, venerable virgin
Que ex fide non recissit sed exstetit stabilis
Who did not waver in faith, but remained steadfast
Huic matri nec inuenta ante nec post similis
No one before or after her was found to be similar to this mother
Nec de prole fuit plane humane originis
Nor was she clearly of human descent from her offspring
Sante Marie, Sancte Marie meritum
Holy Mary, Saint Mary, your merit
Imploramus dignissimum
We beseech you most worthy one
Ut mereamur solium habitare altissimum
That we may merit to dwell on the highest throne
Sante Marie...
Holy Mary, Saint Mary...
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MICHAEL PHILIP MCGLYNN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dance2themusic731
Thank you. No words... Just, thank you.
@justineschaefer1573
Exquisite and pure
@judasiscariot383
Music like this is one of the few things linked to spirituality in the increasingly secular/atheist west.
@321vacation
Comforting and peace to my soul.
@xC17x
Beautiful..
@sarapv208
Cantemus in omni die concinnantes uarie / Let us sing together each day
Conclamantes Deo dignum ymnum Sancte Marie /Crying aloud to God a hymn that is worthy of Saint Mary
Bis per chorum hinc et inde conlaudemus Mariam /Twice on alternating sides, let us praise together the Virgin
Ut uox pulset omnem aurem per laudem uicariam /So that there will be continuous sound on the ear
Sante Marie, Sancte Marie /Saint Mary, Saint Mary
Maria de tribu Iuda Summi Mater Domini /Mary of the line of Judah, mother of God
Oportunam dedit curam egrotanti homini /Gave ailing man a great care
Gabriel aduexjt Verbum sinu prius Paterno /Gabriel placed the Word in the mother's womb
Quod conceptum et susceptum in utero materno /Which came from the breast of the Father
Sante Marie, Sancte Marie meritum /Saint Mary, noble Saint Mary
Imploramus dignissimum /We beseech you
Ut mereamur solium habitare altissimum /That we may be worthy to ascend the highest throne
Hec est summa hec est sancta uirgo uenerabilis /This is the great, the holiest worthy Virgin
Que ex fide non recissit sed exstetit stabilis /Who has held fast in faith and not turned away
Huic matri nec inuenta ante nec post similis _
Nec de prole fuit plane humane originis _
Sante Marie, Sancte Marie meritum /Saint Mary, noble Saint Mary
Imploramus dignissimum /We beseech you
Ut mereamur solium habitare altissimum /That we may be worthy to ascend the highest throne
Sante Marie... /Saint Mary...
@Mugwart1
This reminds me of the Lament for Gandalf from the LotR: http://youtu.be/vgN0ydtrnbo
@ksol1460tv
Well, Tolkien was a Catholic.