LIGHT OF PARADISE
by Paul Mealor

Paul Mealor is one of the world’s most ‘performed’ living composers and has composed music for some of the most important UK state, national and Royal occasions of the last ten years, including the wedding of The Prince and Princess of Wales (2011), King Charles’s 65th, 70th and 75th birthdays, two works for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s national Services of Thanksgiving (2022), two works for the Coronation (2023) – including the first ever setting of the Welsh Language at a Coronation, and three works for The Honours of Scotland Service (2023).

The mediaeval mystic, Margery Kempe (ca.1373-1448) is a fascinating figure. She freed herself from the restraint of marriage and embarked on pilgrimages to sacred sites in Europe and the Middle East, dressed usually in white. Kempe considered her travels as a series of divine trials and whilst nowadays she can be seen a suffering the symptoms of various mental illnesses, she distilled them into The Booke, a spiritual autobiography that she began in 1430, despite being illiterate.

The manuscript was copied, probably shortly before 1450, by someone who signed himself Salthows; this scribe has been shown to be the Norwich monk Richard Salthouse. However after the 16th century Kempe's book was essentially lost; the only surviving manuscript was found again in 1934 the private library of the Butler-Bowdon family, and this is now in the British Library.

The Light of Paradise is a work by Paul Mealor which was commissioned by the Zurich Chamber Singers. An hour long work for choir and saxophone quartet, Mealor describes it as a choral opera. Its fourteen movements, devotions Mealor calls them, are loosely based on the fourteen stations of the Way of the Cross, using words by Kempe to create a narrative arc, presenting the story of her pilgrimage as well as unfolding her religious universe. 

The result is neither opera nor oratorio, and mixes choral writing with solos and music for the saxophone quartet. Mealor creates a distinctive sound world all of his own. Whilst Mealor's musical style is a long way from that of Arvo Pärt, listening to The Light of Paradise you cannot help but think about the way Pärt reinvented the Lutheran passion in his own image. 

Renowned for their energy, unique sonority and fearless innovation, the four members of Quasar have been exploring the multiple facets of musical creation since its foundation in 1994. A highly versatile ensemble, they demonstrate exceptional artistry across a wide spectrum of genres and asthetics from acoustic works and improvisation to cutting-edge electronics, music-theatre and multidisciplinary productions

Their artistic excellence has earned them 11 OPUS Awards from the Conseil québécois de la musique—including the coveted “Artist of the Year” prize—confirming their status as one of Canada’s most influential contemporary music ensembles.

A powerhouse of artistic innovation, Quasar is celebrated for its close collaborations with today’s composers. By embracing research, experimentation, and bold creative risks, the quartet brings to life concerts that are daring, immersive, and unmistakably original. More than 200 new works have been commissioned and premiered by the ensemble, making a profound contribution to the development of contemporary repertoire and musical ideas.

Based in Montreal, Quasar curates and produces a concert series each season and performs widely across Canada, Mexico, the United States, and Europe. The ensemble has been showcased at major international festivals, including Busan Maru (South Korea), Ars Musica (Brussels), the SALT Festival (Victoria), and Tonlagen (Dresden).