by Maggie Molloy

To many people, the cello is the most human of all musical instruments. Similar in range and timbre to the human voice and held closely against one’s body, the cello is known for its rich, warm tone and deeply intimate, expressive musical voice.

But the Northwestern University Cello Ensemble takes that analogy one step further: their new album Shadow, Echo, Memory on Sono Luminus features an entire choir of cellos performing contemporary works arranged and written for cello ensemble—some of which were originally conceived as vocal compositions.

In anticipation of the new album, which is out July 29 and available for pre-order now, we’re thrilled to present the premiere of the ensemble’s brand new video for composer Zachary Wadsworth’s mysterious and ethereal “Three Lacquer Prints”:

The original choral composition takes its lyrics from Amy Lowell’s Lacquer Prints: a series of poems inspired by Japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Like Lowell’s poems, Wadsworth’s musical setting paints a picture of these printed scenes, with each movement wordlessly conveying its own vibrant and dynamic musical ideas.

Shadow, Echo, Memory is the debut album of the NU Cello Ensemble, a group comprised of current and former cello students at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music. Led by cello professor Hans Jørgen Jensen, the group performs and records works by classical and contemporary composers.