History
Adiemus is a musical project primarily led by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins, featuring the "Adiemus Singers."
Vocalists and Recording Techniques
The distinctive vocal performances on the initial four Adiemus albums were delivered by session singer Miriam Stockley. Mary Carewe also contributed additional vocals across most of the albums, with the exception of "Dances of Time." This particular album marked the debut of the Finnish Adiemus Singers, who would later be featured on "Vocalise." A key element of the Adiemus sound was achieved through extensive overdubbing and tape speed manipulation, with vocalists sometimes recorded up to forty times to create rich choral effects.
Karl Jenkins regarded Miriam Stockley as integral to the Adiemus concept due to her vocal range and precision. However, her involvement ceased after "Vocalise" for reasons that have not been publicly clarified.
Instrumentation and Orchestration
The orchestral ensemble for "Songs of Sanctuary" comprised a string section complemented by a variety of ethnic percussion instruments. Additional instrumentation, such as bells, a recorder, and a quena, were also incorporated. Mike Ratledge, a former bandmate of Jenkins from Soft Machine, contributed to the first album. For "Cantata Mundi," Jenkins expanded the sound palette to include brass and woodwind sections, and subsequent albums saw the introduction of instruments like the acoustic guitar.
The London Philharmonic Orchestra provided the orchestral backing for albums ranging from "Songs of Sanctuary" to "Dances of Time." Jenkins later established his own Adiemus Orchestra for the recordings of "The Eternal Knot," before returning to the London Philharmonic Orchestra for "Vocalise."
