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.
Sanctus
Anúna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dominus Deus sabbaoth
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua
Hosanna in excelsis
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini
Hosanna in excelsis
The lyrics "Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus sabbaoth" are Latin words that are translated into "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts." The hymn is a Christian prayer that is often associated with the angels in heaven. The words "pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua" translate to "heaven and earth are full of your glory," acknowledging the omnipresence of God. The phrase "hosanna in excelsis" means "praise be to God in the highest."
The next line, "benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini" translates to "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." This line comes from the New Testament, specifically Mark 11:9, and is spoken by the crowd as Jesus enters Jerusalem. The repetition of "hosanna in excelsis" at the end of the hymn reinforces the message of praising God.
Anuna's version of Sanctus is a hauntingly beautiful rendition, sung in a cappella style by a choir. The harmonies and vocal arrangement create a sense of awe and reverence befitting a hymn that praises the Almighty. The hymn has been adapted over the years to include different arrangements, but the essence of the prayer remains the same.
Line by Line Meaning
Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus
Holy, holy, holy
Dominus Deus sabbaoth
Lord God of hosts
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua
Heaven and earth are full of your glory
Hosanna in excelsis
Hosanna in the highest
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in excelsis
Hosanna in the highest
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: MICHAEL MCGLYNN, MICHAEL PHILIP MCGLYNN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Eidlones
This is absolutely beautiful. Just discovered the group, and wow... I teared up listening to this.
@hellogoodbye637
OMG YOU CAN HEAR OVERTONES BECAUSE YOU'RE SO PERFECTLY IN TUNE
@merri-toddwebster2473
This is one of my favorite pieces in the Anuna repertoire, still.
@EpoRose1
This is how I imagine it’s sung in Heaven… 😊
@PaperickoAnTarxamon
Amazing rearrangement of a stunning song. Anuna has its charm even after 30 years of their origins.
@tammygreen1234
Sounds to make the heart, mind and soul soar! Glory to God.
@tanyadixon8708
Beauty. Serene. Grounded. Glorious. Anuna.
@SALEENS7GTR5
Chills. Just chills.
@izzyduffy8189
absolutely mint performance,,I've got goosebumps,,I truly love this,,toi toi Michael and anuna,,,look forward to hearing it live?
@alexanderguerra4074
beautifull perfomance they have the real medieval alchemical jesus spirit