Waters of Babylon, compositions of the Pacific Northwest composer Jeff Junkinsmith, is the latest release by the Byrd Ensemble, a Seattle group directed by Markdavin Obenza; they recently celebrated their 20th anniversary and are becoming known on the international scene for their performances of music of the Renaissance and of contemporary composers.
The five pieces on the recording are all based on sacred themes or texts. The first, “Drop, drop, slow tears,” gives the familiar hymn text a through-composed, homophonic setting that immediately takes the listener into rich harmonies, especially on the text “In your deep floods drown all my faults and fears.” This is followed by “Lazarus,” a setting of a Byzantine text, and then settings of the “Sanctus” and “Agnus Dei” of the Mass. Through these I was captivated by Jeff’s mature handling of counterpoint, and harmonies which surprised and satisfied, with hints of Stravinsky and Vaughan Williams. And all this confidently articulated by the Byrds.
The last composition on the recording, Super flumina Babylonis, is a setting of the first four verses of Psalm 137 (“By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept”). In my opinion this work is an act of double genius, both in composition and execution. Junkinsmith has set this psalm of lament for soprano and alto voices (SSAA), recalling for me the final chorus of Carissimi’s Jepthe (“Weep, daughters of Israel”). This, plus surprising dissonances and resolutions, lends a particular poignancy to this song of exiles (“How can we sing a song of Zion in an alien land?”). But the precision of pitch and blend, and clarity of recording – all characteristics of the Byrd Ensemble and Scribe Records – really makes the performance of this and the other pieces on Waters of Babylon truly compelling.