Immortal Memory
28 January 04
The first all-new studio album by Lisa Gerrard for more than five years is released on January 26th 2004.
"Immortal Memory" is the bewitching product of Lisa's collaboration with the award-winning Irish composer Patrick Cassidy, who she met in Los Angeles while working on the soundtrack for "Gladiator".
"Music is a place to go to take refuge," says Lisa. "It's a sanctuary from mediocrity and boredom. It's innocent, and it's a place you can lose yourself in thoughts and memories and intricacies."
Her words perfectly describe "Immortal Memory" - it's a transcendent, hymnal collection of music which, as you would expect from Lisa, draws on a global variety of musical influences, literary inspirations and mythical traditions. It's a timeless record that takes the listener on a memorable journey as the ten tracks trace a cycle of life, death and rebirth, commencing with Lisa's interpretation of the ancient Irish poem "The Song Of Amergin - which she sings in ancient Gaelic - and ending with the stately beauty of the memorial song "Psallit In Aure Dei". Elsewhere, Lisa and Patrick draw on the poetry of WB Yeats (in "Sailing To Byzantium") and of the Bible - "Abwoon" is an arrangement of "The Lord's Prayer", sung in Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus.
"Immortal Memory" has already met with much acclaim, as these quotes from the British press demonstrate :
"the scope of "Immortal Memory" is huge"
The Guardian
"breathtaking"
OK
"epic, exhilarating, extraordinary"
Mojo
"a gorgeous, near religious record - it overflows with dignity"
Q