Eric Whitacre's latest work, for chorus, piano and cello, The Sacred Veil, was commissioned by the Los Angeles Master Chorale who gave the first performance at Walt Disney Hall in February 2019. With Whitacre himself conducting, The Sacred Veil has been recorded by those first performers, and the album is now available from Signum Classics. Set to words largely by the poet Anthony Silvestri, The Sacred Veil, takes as its theme the death, from ovarian cancer, in 2005, of Silvestri's wife Julie, who was only 36.

James Jolly spoke to Eric Whitacre about the work, and how it came into being, for this Gramophone Podcast.

You can listen to the Podcast below. To hear other Gramophone podcasts, or to subscribe for free to new editions, search for 'Gramophone Magazine' in your Podcast application of choice, or visit Gramophone's page at iTunes.

Photo: Marc Royce 

And listen to the album on Apple Music