Martin Romberg - Symphony of Saints; Sacred Songs (Joanne Lunn)

Information

Composer: Martin Romberg

• Symphony of Saints
• Sacred Songs

Joanne Lunn, soprano

Orchestra of the Swan

Andrew Griffiths, conductor

Martin Romberg, piano

Date: 2026

Label: Resonus Classics

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Martin Romberg’s Symphony of Saints pays tribute to the Northern Saints—Columba, Aidan, and Cuthbert—whose influence shaped the spiritual life of early Northumbria. Inspired by Celtic Christian tradition, the symphony evokes the austere beauty and contemplative atmosphere associated with the Holy Island of Iona through luminous orchestral writing. The album also includes Romberg’s Sacred Songs, composed for soprano Joanne Lunn and setting texts by Scottish poet Kenneth Steven. Performed by Lunn with the Orchestra of the Swan under Andrew Griffiths, the works combine intimacy and lyricism with spiritual reflection. Together, they form a deeply personal recording celebrating faith, friendship, and music’s enduring ability to express devotion.

Martin Romberg (b. 1978, Oslo) is a Norwegian composer known for his distinctive neo-Romantic style, characterized by rich orchestration and strong melodic expression. He studied composition at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Michael Jarrell and Klaus Peter Sattler, and later pursued orchestration studies with Ertuğrul Sevsay. Since the mid-2000s, Romberg has developed a musical language that moves beyond modernist traditions, embracing universal and humanist themes. His works often draw inspiration from fantasy literature, Celtic-Christian heritage, and ancient mythologies. Performed by major orchestras across Europe and beyond, his compositions include the acclaimed Homériade and the violin concerto Poemata Minora. Romberg also records, conducts, and is active as director of the Nerdrum Museum in Norway.

Joanne Lunn is an internationally acclaimed soprano recognized for her warm tone, agile coloratura, and keen sensitivity to text. She studied at the Royal College of Music in London, where she received the prestigious Tagore Gold Medal. Lunn has collaborated with leading conductors and ensembles, particularly in the field of early music, and has performed with orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Her concert career has taken her to major venues worldwide, such as Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw, and the Royal Albert Hall. A prolific recording artist, her discography includes award-winning projects such as Mozart’s Requiem with the Dunedin Consort, which received a Gramophone Award.

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