Anúna

     The music I listen to most often is my Pandora Internet Radio station based on the Lord of the Rings soundtrack by Howard Shore.  I like listening to a wide variety of music, so the station's gotten pretty eclectic.  (E.g., there'll be some LOTR music, and then some Enya or Lisa Gerrard will come up, followed by the Thor soundtrack, and finished up with music from the Bourne movies.  You get the idea.)  Anyway, the other day I realized that I really liked one song that kept on playing: "St. Nicholas," by Anúna.  As usual, I decided that rather than buy an album, I'd just start a new Pandora station based on Anúna.  I did so, and the music is so awesome that I felt I just had to share it!
     For those of you who don't know what Anúna is, it is a choir.  It is not, however, just any choir.  Anúna was formed in 1987 by composer Michael McGlynn, with the intention that the discipline of choral music and the free sound of traditional Irish folk singing would be united in the choir.  The resulting sound is so beautiful and amazing!  I could probably listen to their music all day long.  
     Most of Anúna's music is new to me, but there are a couple songs they do that I've heard other artists perform.  One is "Siuil A Ruin," which has been performed by Celtic Woman.  Celtic Woman's version (like most of their songs) was . . . meh.  Not my favourite.  But Anúna's version, while still not my favourite song ever, was quite beautiful.  Another familiar piece was "Fionnguala" (and no, I haven't the faintest idea how to pronounce that); I know and love Nightnoise's performance of the song.  Anúna's version, while quite different, is also very beautiful.  
     In conclusion, I am very glad to have discovered Anúna, and I highly recommend their music!  I also really, really, really want to sing with them.  Hmm . . . does anybody know how to join a highly talented professional chamber choir . . . ? ;)