Unity & The Unexcelled Mantra

Two short choral works contemplating the search for a modern spirituality. Performed by the New York Virtuoso Singers under Harold Rosenbaum.

Christopher Bono describes "Unity" and "The Unexcelled Mantra" as contemplating the search for a modern form of spirituality. "Both works explore a path to transcendence or 'true being' through union with the cosmos — The Unexcelled Mantra from a Mahayana Buddhist point of view and Unity from the Western philosophical tradition of Plato." Unity is based on a section of Plato's Republic — chosen text from Plato's discussion of the power of mathematics, which Bono read as a metaphor for the phenomenon of meditation. Bono also experimented with the power Plato claimed existed in the Dorian and Phrygian modes. Both works were performed by the New York Virtuoso Singers, led by Harold Rosenbaum. The "Unity" music video — constructed from over ten thousand individual photographs by Tobias Stretch (Radiohead, Deftones) — was selected at Ottawa International Animation Festival, Indie Memphis (Best Experimental Film), Sunscreen Film Festival, and others. "The Unexcelled Mantra" video is by Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir (Sigur Rós).

Credits

Christopher Bono — Composer

The New York Virtuoso Singers — Ensemble

Harold Rosenbaum — Conductor

Tobias Stretch — Unity Music Video Director

Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir — The Unexcelled Mantra Video Director

Videos

Press

“Christopher Bono's spectacularly haunting Unity & The Unexcelled Mantra EP (which even as an EP bests out many full length choral recordings in the last five years)…”

Alto Riot · Runner-up: Best of 2013 · 2013

“'Masterpiece' is a big, important word. But sometimes you just have to say it.”

Promo News

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