There have been some excellent musical releases to come from religious communities in recent years, and now the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles are getting in on the action. This storied community of religious sisters, who have been serving the Los Angeles area for nearly 100 years, are now sharing the musical prayers they lift to the Lord on a daily basis in Adoration from Carmel: Eucharistic Hymns.
Released on September 30, 2022, this collection of 16 hymns comes directly from the community’s daily prayers. Recorded in the beautiful acoustics of their very own St. Joseph’s chapel at their Santa Teresita motherhouse in the L.A. suburb of Duarte, the album gives an authentic glimpse of the sounds of their monastery. These splendid tones were masterfully recorded by top producer-engineer Brad Michel, winner of multiple Grammy and Gramophone awards.
With varied arrangements that sometimes have the nuns singing a cappella and other times accompanied by a seven-piece chamber orchestra, there’s something for everyone on Adoration from Carmel. The collection of liturgical songs includes traditional Latin-text hymns as well as some original English-language tunes.
The music is marked by a vocal unity that can only be achieved through regular practice as a choir. Through expert use of dynamics and phrasing, these Carmelites display a clear and devoted attention to every little detail in their recordings.
The sublime joy they take from their faith beams into their music, an aspect that was best captured by The Wall Street Journal, which described their music as “sung with unalloyed joy and a sweetness– rare traits these days, not only in popular music but also in the culture at large.”
In their press release, Mother Gloria Torres explained that singing marks the passing of the days for the Carmelite Sisters, as well as a vision beyond daily existence. She said of the community’s approach to the album:
Adoration from Carmel: Eucharistic Hymns is now available to purchase or stream on most major music platforms. The complete album is available to stream on YouTube and Spotify. Physical copies, the envy of any Christmas stocking, are available for order from the Sophia Institute Press.
