Whispering, inhaling, exhaling and humming are the sounds that draw the listener inwards to Hatzis's setting of Psalm 91 for choir and harp. In between, the music is like a series of windows opening and revealing some hidden meaning of the text. Extreme textures and registers, precarious vocal balances, sound effects like tone clusters, thunder effects on the harp, stomping of feet and aleatoric vocal lines are used to reveal the majesty of the text.
Born in Greece, educated in the United States and a Canadian citizen since 1985, composer Christos Hatzis (b.1953) is becoming widely known as a leading figure in contemporary classical music. His works are performed and broadcast throughout the world, and their frequent combination of a powerful spiritual foundation with an immediately accessible appeal has made a deep emotional impact upon audiences and performers alike.
