Anne Dudley's Veni Emmanuel

December 22, 2011 5:54 PM

Veni Emmanuel (O Come O Come Emmanuel), arranged and produced by Anne Dudley (founding member of Art Of Noise, Academy Award Winner for her work on The Full Monty) from her 1995 album Ancient And Modern.

Ancient And Modern as an album is long out of print (but likely available through alternate sources, including online listening services). Its blend of ancient songs and modern orchestral/choral arrangements are nothing if not haunting and engaging. Much of it can be found for easy online listening:

Canticles of the Sun and Moon
Veni Sancte Spiritus
From Darkness to Light
Veni Emmanuel
Tallis' Canon
The Holly and the Ivy
The Testimony Of John
Canzonetta
Coventry Carol
Prelude
Three Chorales in Common Time: Vater Unser In Himmelreich; Freut Euch, Ihr Christen, Jesu Meine Freude

Bonus Tracks: The Sussex Carol (b-side to Veni Emmanuel single), Moments In Love (orchestral arrangement from Dudley's album A Different Light)

posted by hippybear (10 comments total)

Thanks, hippybear! I have a stack of old AoN CDs and I'm always glad when something comes up on shuffle. I can't listen as devotedly as I used to (for some reason, I can do math and engineering while pop [but not classical] plays, but I'm a lawyer now, and music must distract the part of the brain I need for that). Good on Ms. Dudley for the stuff she's done after AoN.
This reminds me of the almost-as-old Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke album in my collection, which, sadly, I also can't listen to while working. And I work entirely too much.
posted by spacewrench at 7:00 PM on December 22, 2011

I believe he came, swore a lot, then went off to be Mayor of Chicago.
posted by jaduncan at 7:01 PM on December 22, 2011

I think jaduncan has commented in the wrong thread.

Either that or, I don't get it.
posted by hippybear at 7:03 PM on December 22, 2011

I'm pretty sure it's a reference to Rahm Emanuel.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 7:06 PM on December 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

It was a reference to Rahm Emanuel, who stopped being the Obama admin chief of staff this year to go and be Mayor of Chicago.
posted by jaduncan at 7:07 PM on December 22, 2011

Ah. obscure reference is obscure. carry on.
posted by hippybear at 7:09 PM on December 22, 2011

Just ordered a couple of Dudley CDs. In case anybody from the RIAA is paying attention.
posted by spacewrench at 7:12 PM on December 22, 2011

Hmm. Didn't particularly do it for me, though if it was recorded with a synth choir, the quality of the sound library is really good.
posted by arnicae at 8:39 PM on December 22, 2011

I recently discovered this version of O Come O Come Emmanuel and I like it lots.
posted by prefpara at 6:22 AM on December 23, 2011

Here is a great version by Belle & Sebastian
posted by merlick at 10:38 AM on December 23, 2011