Adiemus (song)
| "Adiemus" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"Adiemus" is a new age song written by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins and performed by Miriam Stockley with Mary Carewe. It was officially released on Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary in 1995.
Recording
"Adiemus" was written in 1994 by Karl Jenkins, and it premiered in a Delta Air Lines television commercial. Jenkins chose South African singer Miriam Stockley as a lead vocalist due to her wide range of intonation and Purley resident Mary Carewe for additional vocals. The London Philharmonic Orchestra also performed.[1][dead link]
The main idea was to create a modern song using classical forms, such as rondo and ternary. The lyrics themselves have no meaning. The vocals are simply used as another instrument to make music and not to convey any message.[2] The song, written in D minor, is a mix of African-tribal and Celtic-style melodies.[citation needed]
The song is also often misattributed to Enya, primarily due to a television commercial for Pure Moods featuring both Karl Jenkins' "Adiemus" and Enya's "Orinoco Flow".[2]
Credits and personnel
- Karl Jenkins – composer, lyrics, conductor, producer
- Miriam Stockley – lead vocals
- Mary Carewe – additional vocals
- Mike Ratledge – arranger (programmed percussion), producer
- Mick Taylor – flute
- London Philharmonic Orchestra - guest artists
Charts
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[3] | 7 |
| Germany (Media Control Charts) | 6 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 18 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[4] | 4 |
| United Kingdom (UK Singles Charts)[5] | 48 |
References
- ^ Adiemus at AllMusic
- ^ a b Barone, Brian (2016-09-16). "An Aural History of "Adiemus"".
- ^ austriancharts.at - Ö3 Austria Top 40 - May, 1995 Archived January 8, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ swisscharts.com - Schweizer Hitparade - March, 1995 Archived January 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ musicvf.com - UK Singles Chart - October, 1995