Diamond Music

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Diamond Music
File:Diamond music cover.jpg
Studio album by Karl Jenkins
Released	1996
Recorded	Angel 1995
Genre	Classical
Length	51:45
Label	Sony Classical
Producer	Karl Jenkins, Helen Hodkinson
Karl Jenkins chronology
Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary (1995)Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary1995 Diamond Music (1996) Adiemus II: Cantata Mundi (1997)Adiemus II: Cantata Mundi1997

Diamond Music is a 1996 album by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins.

One of Jenkins's most recognised works is the first movement of the suite Palladio, inspired by 16th-century architect Andrea Palladio and in the style of a concerto grosso. This piece, in varying arrangements, has served as the music for DeBeers television advertisements since the company's "Shadows and Light" campaign in the mid-1990s. For this reason, the album is titled Diamond Music and the cover art features shadowed figures and photographs of diamonds much like the imagery used in the ad campaign.

Jenkins' compositions in this album encompass a broad polystylistic range, contrasting delicate pieces written for string quartet with the broad sound of a string orchestra. "String Quartet No. 2" includes movements in the Baroque style of Antonio Vivaldi ("The Fifth Season") as well as a tango, waltz, hoedown, and others. The four "Adiemus Variations" are reworkings of Jenkins' own piece "Adiemus" from Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary. Additionally, the second movement of "Palladio" served as the theme for "Cantus Insolitus" also heard on Songs of Sanctuary.

Track listing

1. "Palladio I, Allegretto" – 3:47
2. "Palladio II, Largo" – 5:38
3. "Palladio III, Vivace" – 6:58
4. "Adiemus Variations I" – 1:28
5. "Adiemus Variations II" – 3:32
6. "Adiemus Variations III" – 2:29
7. "Adiemus Variations IV" – 3:33
8. "Passacaglia" – 4:53
9. "String Quartet No. 2: I The Fifth Season" – 3:43
10. "String Quartet No. 2: II Tango" – 5:50
11. "String Quartet No. 2: III Waltz" – 2:11
12. "String Quartet No. 2: IV Romanze" – 2:59
13. "String Quartet No. 2: V Bits" – 4:44

Personnel

• London Philharmonic Strings
• The Smith Quartet

Other arrangements

Diamond Music is the title of a track by solo pianist Tim Neumark. The piece is a solo piano rendition of the first movement of Jenkins' "Palladio" suite.

The British electric string quartet Bond performed a rendition of "Palladio", titled "Allegretto", on their Shine album. A second British electric string quartet, Escala also performed a similar arrangement of the piece on their self-titled album.

Also this piece is well known as being the theme music for famous singer, Jade Villalon of Sweetbox's song "Sorry".

The Jedi Mind Tricks song "On the Eve of War" samples the first movement of Jenkin's "Palladio Suite"

The "Theme from Palladio" was also performed by Carol Williams on the organ of St Martin's church in Dudelange, Luxembourg.

A 2011 episode of Dancing with the Stars featured Palladio performed.

Taranto Orchestra della Magna Grecia performed Palladio since 2001 for both quartet and symphonic versions

External links

• Karl Jenkins