Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles: Ancient Pilgrimage, Modern Journey

The August 2024 issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles: Ancient Pilgrimage, Modern Journey” by Jeff Goolsby. Following is a portion from the article’s introduction.
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A pilgrimage involves walking, often over great distances, and begins by putting one foot in front of the other. It is a physical manifestation of an inward spiritual journey. In medieval Europe, there were three pilgrimage destinations of particular importance: Jerusalem, Rome, and Santiago de Compostela, a small dusty town on the western edge of the continent.1 Path of Miracles by English composer Joby Talbot (b. 1971) is a major choral work that describes the medieval pilgrim’s journey on the Camino de Santiago. It is a profoundly contemporary work for modern singers and audiences. This article examines Talbot’s complex work, follows the dramatic arch of the musical narrative, and provides commentary for conductors and performers.

Path of Miracles

Joby Talbot studied composition at Royal Holloway and Bedford New College. He earned a master’s in composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he studied with Simon Bainbridge. He has written across a number of genres and for a wide variety of ensembles, including string orchestra, instrumental chamber ensembles, and choral ensembles. He has a penchant for dramatic storytelling and has written many works for ballet, television, film, and opera.

Path of Miracles describes the medieval pilgrim’s journey on the Camino de Santiago. An hour in length, the piece was commissioned by the professional choral ensemble Tenebrae and their conductor, Nigel Short, and premiered on July 17, 2005, at St. Bartholomew the Great Church in London. In 2017 and again in 2022, Tenebrae revived the work for an extensive national and international tour. The music is scored for a mixed choir of seventeen voices (five sopranos, four altos, four tenors, and four basses) and percussion (crotales and temple bells). The score is published by Chester Music and is dedicated to the composer’s father, Vincent Talbot. Path of Miracles has been recorded by Tenebrae (2006 and 2017) and by the Texas-based choir Conspirare (2015), conducted by Craig Hella Johnson. A perusal score is available online.

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Read the full article in the August 2024 issue of Choral Journal. acda.org/choraljournal