Gitanjali, literally meaning “Song Offering” in Bengali, is a collection of devotional poems by the Bengali poet, Rabindarnath Tagore, published in 1910. Craig Hella Johnson has managed to create a mesmerizing effect in this a cappella composition that fuses both modern and ancient styles.
For centuries the “O, Magnum Mysterium” text, based on the “Holy Matins of Christmas”, has described the wonderment of the animals as they gaze at Christ’s birth. In Michael John Trotta’s 2020 a cappella arrangement he has beautifully set this ancient text with modern harmonies and enchanting melodic lines to express the amazing sense of awe and wonder of the season.
