Subtitled Sacred Space Music Vol. II, this amazing project of 'space classical' music was composed and performed entirely on the new digital sampling synthesizer, the Emulator. It is a vast work, for symphony orchestra, cathedral organ and chorus (all found inside the Emulator)! This prolific, creative instrumentalist continues her invention of new form and sounds. For those of you who are familiar with the Hearts of Space label, note that this is their best-selling title ever!

Novus Magnificat: Through the StargateAlso seen incorrectly spelled "Novus Magnificat: Thru the Stargate". (1986) is a New Age album by Constance Demby, with additional sonic textures by composer Michael Stearns. The album sold over 200,000 copies worldwide and made Demby one of the most successful New Age artists of the time. It was voted in 2002 one of "The 25 Most Influential Ambient Albums of All Time", and Piero Scaruffi described it in 2003 as "possibly new-age music's ultimate masterpiece."

History

Creation

The title Novus Magnificat is Latin for "New Magnificat". Inspired by Western classical and sacred music, Novus Magnificat was self-defined as "A Magnificat and Exaltate for digital orchestra, choral voices, and special electronic images"See primary source: HOS, "Novus Magnificat" (cassette liner notes)See primary source: HOS, "Novus Magnificat" (compact liner notes) and "Dedicated to the Infinite One..."

The music was performed using the Emulator II, one of the first digital sampling synthesizers available: this provided and combined the sound of real symphonic instruments and choirs under a single keyboard, hooked to a Roland Juno 60 "for arpeggiated effects and enhanced sounds".See primary source: Demby, "The creation of Novus Magnificat"

Nothing being written down or scored in advance, the album was directly composed and recorded in 1985 by Demby at the keyboard. The music was further enhanced with electronic textures by composer Michael Stearns and refined with record co-producer and label co-founder Anna Turner. The result was termed, "Music conjured by the future, rooted in the Western sacred tradition."

Releases

Novus Magnificat was released by Stephen Hill's Hearts of Space Records, first on cassette in 1986,See secondary source: Digital Audio, "Constance Demby: Novus Magnificat" then on CD in fall 1987 (along a vinyl LP in Japan,See primary source: HOS, "Novus Magnificat" (vinyl liner notes) licensed to Alfa Records). It was the first of the four Demby albums this label would release or re-release between 1986 and 1995. The album was also broadcast in full on Hill's syndicated radio show Hearts of Space, in program 105 on June 13, 1986.HOS. , Hearts of Space at HOS.com

In 1987, the last movement of "Novus Magnificat, Part One" (dubbed "My Heart Doth Soar") and the first movement of "Novus Magnificat, Part Two" (dubbed "The Flying Bach") were selected by Demby for her self-released 1978–1986 best-of compilation Light of This World (cassette and CD versions: the vinyl could only fit "The Flying Bach").

In 2001, the "Hearts of Space" label's trademark and catalogue were sold to Valley Entertainment, still distributing the album . In 2008, the CD version was complemented with Novus Magnificat (Alternate Version), a downloadable digital album (MP3 files, 256 kbps, released June 6, 2008) with the same music cut in a new tracklist (with date and tracklist) at Amazon of eleven movements.

Genre

Following Demby's previous studio album Sacred Space Music (1984), Novus Magnificat was tagged "Sacred Space II" (later "Sacred Space Series, vol. II"). Considered part of the New Age music, the album is described as "Contemporary classical Spacemusic" in its liner notes, or "symphonic space music"See secondary source: Wright, "Novus Magnificat". by Allmusic. Its subtitle "Through the Stargate" is complemented with a space-themed cover reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey (whose novel version featured a "Star Gate").

The album is also often ranked among ambient music albums, but Demby once noted "Though we are honored, Novus Magnificat is not really 'ambient' " on her site.

Reception

USA Today wrote, "There is no other recording in the electronic genre rooted in the harmonies of Bach and the romantics that is so heartfelt",See primary source: Demby, "Novus Magnificat" and it was noted for "its Bach-like organs crescendos, its Vivaldi-like string passages" in Pulse! magazine.

Though it was not nominated at the newly-created "New Age" category of the Grammy Awards,Novus Magnificat was released in 1986 and eligible for the 1987 Grammy Awards (alias "Grammy Awards for 1986"), where a "New Age" category appeared that year for the first time. Neither the album nor Demby appears on the MetroLyrics list of , including the two compilations from Germany's Windham Hill Records, "various artists - Windham Hill Records Sampler '86" and "various artists - A Winter's Solstice". (Same for , , , .) No other source checked in June 2009 (including Google News Archive and Google Book Search) could list the album among Grammy nominations. The "Grammy nominated" claim found on Demby's website since at least 2001 (and in some interviews) may have been a confusion between the album being "nominated" by its record label to the Grammy academy (as is the regular process) and the actual official list of five Grammy nominees (the one called "Grammy nominated"). the album sold over 200,000 copies worldwide,See secondary source: Phoenix, "Constance Demby: Heavy Metal Thunder" making Demby one of the most successful New Age artists of the time, and helped build the reputationHOS. , Hearts of Space at HOS.com: "Early releases on Hearts of Space were critically applauded and sold well in the instrumental music market by then swept into the burgeoning New Age category. Constance Demby's Novus Magnificat (1986) was an early hit, listed on annual Top Albums lists in Pulse! and Jazziz." of Hearts of Space Records.

In 2002, Echoes coproducer Jeff Towne "polled a panel of experts", 16 judges who voted the album #24 of "The 25 Most Influential Ambient Albums of All Time"See secondary source: Towne & Manzi, "The 25 Most Influential Ambient Albums of All Time" for New Age Voice. In A History of Rock Music: 1951-2000 (2003), music critic and historian Piero Scaruffi described it as "possibly new-age music's ultimate masterpiece."See secondary source: Scaruffi, A History of Rock Music

Personnel

;Musical

* Constance Demby – emulated "violas, violins, celli, bassoon, harp, piano, organ, French horn, bells, electronic effects, tympani and chorus" on synthesizers (Emulator II digital sampling, Roland Juno 60), piano (Yamaha C-9 Concert Grand)

: with

* Michael Stearns – "additional electronic images and textures" on synthesizers (Serge Modular, Yamaha DX-7, Oberheim OB-8) and "The Beam" (custom 24-string acoustic instrument)

;Technical

* Recording: Constance Demby

* Additional engineering and track re-mastering: Warren Dennis (at The Banquet Studio, Santa Rosa, CA) "who made significant technical and musical contributions throughout the project"

* Mixing: Stephen Hill, Warren Dennis (at The Banquet Studio, on Thiel CS-3 and Spica TC-50 monitors)

* Production: Constance Demby, Anna Turner

;Graphical

* Original cover painting: Geoffrey Chandler (Visionary Publishing, Inc.)

* Art direction: Nelson & Toews Design

Notes

References

Primary sources

* Demby, Constance (2007). at ConstanceDemby.com via Archive.org

* Demby, Constance (2007). at ConstanceDemby.com via Archive.org

* HOS. , San Francisco: Hearts of Space Records, 1986, SKU HS003, UPC 025041100342

* HOS. "Novus Magnificat" (compact liner notes), San Francisco: Hearts of Space Records, 1987, SKU HS11003-2, EAN 0025041100328 (UPC 025041100328)

* HOS. , San Francisco: Hearts of Space Records licensed to Tokyo, Japan: Alfa Records, 1987, SKU ALI-28071

Secondary sources

* Digital Audio (1988). , Digital Audio & Compact Disc Review, byline "LK", February 1988

* Phoenix, Robert (2007). , January 23, 2007 at eMusic.com via Archive.org

* Scaruffi, Piero (2003). A History of Rock Music: 1951-2000, iUniverse (self-publishing), 2003, ISBN 0595295657, p. 319. (An updated text is also in the online version of the book, chapter .)

* Towne, Jeff & Manzi, Peter (2002). , New Age Voice, October 2002 issue, reprinted at NewAgeVoice.com via Archive.org (also at Echoes.org via Archive.org)

* Wright, Carol. at Allmusic

This text has been derived from Novus Magnificat on Wikipedia and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0