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.
Whispers Of Paradise
Anúna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waking the cool breath of night
Silent stars shining down from eternal darkness
Frozen reflections of light
And for one moment in time
I hear a whisper of paradise
And for one moment in time
Golden sun rising out of a pale blue morning
Carries the summer along
Distant cries, seagulls dance in unending patterns
Echoes rejoice with their song
And for one moment in time
I hear a whisper of paradise
And for one moment in time
I hear a whisper of paradise
The lyrics to Anuna's song Whispers of Paradise evoke a sense of tranquility and peacefulness, painting a vivid picture of a serene natural landscape. The gentle breeze and scattered embers on moonlit water create a calming and soothing atmosphere, while the silent stars shining down from eternal darkness add a touch of mystery and wonder. The frozen reflections of light conjure up imagery of stillness and solitude, depicting a moment of introspection and contemplation.
The second verse continues to describe the beauty of nature, this time with the golden sun rising out of a pale blue morning, carrying the summer along. The distant cries and seagulls dancing in unending patterns depict a lively and dynamic natural environment, with echoes rejoicing with their song. The repetition of the phrase "And for one moment in time, I hear a whisper of paradise" highlights the fleeting nature of these idyllic, peaceful moments, emphasizing the need to appreciate and savor them while they last.
Overall, the lyrics to Whispers of Paradise convey a sense of yearning for a simpler, more peaceful existence, with a deep appreciation for the beauty and majesty of nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Gentle breeze, scattered embers on moonlit water
The soft wind blows, causing the sparks to scatter on the water surface illuminated by the moon.
Waking the cool breath of night
The night air is awakened by the coolness brought by the gentle wind.
Silent stars shining down from eternal darkness
The unmoving stars twinkle in the darkness of the night sky.
Frozen reflections of light
The reflections of the moonlight on the calm water appear frozen in time.
And for one moment in time
For a fleeting moment,
I hear a whisper of paradise
I feel a hint of something heavenly, something idyllic and perfect in this moment.
Golden sun rising out of a pale blue morning
The sun rises in the pale blue sky, washing the world in a warm glow.
Carries the summer along
The arrival of the sun also signifies the beginning of summer.
Distant cries, seagulls dance in unending patterns
The seagulls' distant cries contrast with the unchanging patterns they follow while dancing.
Echoes rejoice with their song
The echoes of the seagulls' cries carry their joy throughout the area.
And for one moment in time
For a fleeting moment,
I hear a whisper of paradise
I feel a hint of something heavenly, something idyllic and perfect in this moment.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MICHAEL PHILIP MCGLYNN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@guabar
Gentle breeze, scattered embers on moonlit water
Waking the cool breath of night
Silent stars shining down from eternal darkness
Frozen reflections of light
And for one moment in time
I hear a whisper of paradise
And for one moment in time
I hear a whisper of paradise
Golden sun rising out of a pale blue morning
Carries the summer along
Distant cries, seagulls dance in unending patterns
Echoes rejoice with their song
And for one moment in time
I hear a whisper of paradise
And for one moment in time
I hear a whisper of paradise
@musicmaze6066
Dear Michael and Angelic voices: Thank you for bringing Heaven to Earth! Our souls rejoice.
@Foxnoxfox
My god... I wonder how it feels to be able to make such beautiful music, knowing that it brings tears to people's eyes. After 10 seconds I feel completely Irish, and I'm anything but...
@user-ve7xo5rj3o
I love Michael and his Anuna. Got bless you!
@guabar
Gentle breeze, scattered embers on moonlit water
Waking the cool breath of night
Silent stars shining down from eternal darkness
Frozen reflections of light
And for one moment in time
I hear a whisper of paradise
And for one moment in time
I hear a whisper of paradise
Golden sun rising out of a pale blue morning
Carries the summer along
Distant cries, seagulls dance in unending patterns
Echoes rejoice with their song
And for one moment in time
I hear a whisper of paradise
And for one moment in time
I hear a whisper of paradise
@gingerroot15
This song makes me just want to sink back and never stop listening--- it's so haunting, and beautiful, and there is absolutely no way any words could capture the beauty of this.
@mtnspiritdesign
This is the most beautiful song I've heard in a long time - thank you.
@tobyjoey1
Beautiful. If you open your heart and mind, that one whisper will become some and then become many until you realise that this world IS paradise.
@RebeccaETripp
This is absolutely exquisite!! I don't know how you do it every single time, Michael, but I've only known your work for a day and my heart is filled to the brim.
@edie1209
I have to listen to your music everyday while I'm at work and at home. I just absolutely love everything that that your group does. Thank you
@anunachoir
Thank you. Much appreciated.