The all-female a cappella vocal quintet Papagena was formed in 2015, and is made up of sopranos Elizabeth Drury, Imogen Ram-Prasad, and Suzzie Vango; mezzo-soprano Shivani Rattan; and alto Sarah Tenant-Flowers.
Papagena
Each of the members brings a speciality to the group. Of particular note is Sarah Tenant-Flowers, who is one of today’s leading choral directors and is known for her choral arrangements, many of which are on this recording. Many of her arrangements, such as Monteverdi‘s ‘Sì, ch’io vorrei morire’, are to bring the traditional 5 voice SSATB voicing into Papagena’s SSSMA range.
On their new recording, Tomorrow is Today: Songs of Love, Beauty, and the Passing of Time, the group covers some 10 centuries of music, starting with the 11th century nun Hildegard of Bingen’s ‘O cruor sanguinis’ (O stream of blood), an antiphon that asks the Lord to ‘anoint us against our fragilities’ to Caroline Shaw (b. 1982) and her setting of Francesca Turini Bufalini, Contessa di Stupinigi ‘s 1628 poem ‘Dolce Cantavi’ (Sweetly Sing) about how the little bird’s song ‘makes my days complete in their joy’. Other songs celebrate the colourful Hindu festival of Holi that marks the coming of Spring, the uncertainty of childbirth (Kate Bush’s ‘This Woman’s Work’), and folk songs from Bulgaria, Yoruba, and Ukraine.
Traditional and modern folk come together in the work of Sandy Denny (1947–1978). Former lead singer for the British folk rock band Fairport Convention, she was described as ‘the pre-eminent British folk-rock singer/songwriter of her time’. ‘Who Knows Where the Time Goes?’, written in 1966, is her reflection on the seasons and how love changes over time.
As a collection, there’s something here to appeal to all tastes. The songs (and their arrangements) complement each other – the vocal techniques in Monteverdi’s ‘Sì, ch’io vorrei morire’ are matched by those in Caroline Shaw’s ‘Dolce Cantavi’ (for vocal trio) of over 400 years later, although with considerably sharper harmonies! All those evocative words, such as ‘desire’, ‘ripples’, ‘murmuring’, have their meanings embedded in the music beautifully.
In ‘Welcome Somer’, Don Macdonald (b. 1966) set a text by Chaucer from his Parlement of Foules, the banishment of winter’s dark is celebrated by the welcoming of the new bright season.
As the subtitle for the album says, these are ‘Songs of Love, Beauty, and the Passing of Time’ and will take you so many places: into a new season, into new mountains, or into love. It’s a collection that is not only tremendously rewarding to hear but also to think about.
Papagena launched their sound with their first album in 2017, Nuns and Roses. Their next albums were issued by SOMM: The Darkest Midnight (2018, SOMMCD 0189), Hush! (2020, SOMMCD 0608), and now Tomorrow is Today (2026). Join the ensemble in a recording that brings together all the world in celebration of ‘Love, Beauty, and the Passing of Time’.
Tomorrow is Today: Songs of Love, Beauty, and the Passing of Time
Papagena
SOMM Recordings SOMMCD 0721
Official Website
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