The Rhythm Divine

Celebrating one of the world's most influential hymnbooks, Hymns Ancient and Modern published in 1861, we hear Australian composer Nicole Skeltys explain why she's begun writing hymns for the electronic age, using samples from the Apollo moon landing of 1969. We also hear a traditional choral version of Alfred Lord Tennyson's favourite hymn, 'Holy Holy Holy', and a bluegrass rendition of 'How Great Thou Art'.

Nicole Skeltys is an Australian composer best known for being part of the successful dance group Biftek. But Nicole has had some life-changing events recently, including illness, and these have prompted her to re-evaluate her life and to take on a spiritual journey. Describing herself as a 'technological angel', she's now teamed up with Tanya Andrea Stadelmann in a group called The Jilted Brides and has been writing what she calls electronic hymns. In fact on their album Larceny of Love Nicole has written a suite of three hymns and we hear the final hymn called 'Joy', filled with treated voices for choir, synthesisers, bells and the sound of the Apollo astronauts.

Further Information

The Jilted Brides
The Jilted Brides are a psychedelic folk/electronic duo from Melbourne, Australia. Psychedelic in the original Greek means 'clarifying the soul'. Larceny of Love is divided into two 'sides' - psychedelic ballads and electronic hymns. You can hear a selection of the ballads and one of the hymns here.

The Jilted Brides are Nicole Skeltys (keyboards, electronics & vocals) and Tanya Andrea Stadelmann (vocals & visuals. Nicole is a song writer and producer, with a long background in electronica (B(if)tek, Artificial) and also more recently, folk rock (Dust). Their last gig before heading to the US is on Friday 11 April at the Glitch Bar and Cinema in Melbourne.

Hymns Ancient and Modern
One of the most famous and influential hymnbooks, Hymns Ancient and Modern was published in 1861 in England. Since then, its various editions have sold in excess of 165 million copies.

Music

CD title: Music Inspired by the Motion Picture 'Amazing Grace'
Track title: How Great Thou Art
Artist: Martina McBride
Composer: Hine
CD details: Crossroad / EMI 0946 3 73848 2 4
URL: http://www.martinamcbride.com/

CD title: Lead Kindly Light
Track title: Holy Holy Holy
Artist: Vox Ecclesiae/ Cantillation/ Paul Terracini
Composer: John Bacchus Dykes/ Reginald Heber
CD details: ABC Classics 476 159 9
URL: http://shop.abc.net.au/browse/product.asp?productid=353514

CD title: Larceny of Love
Track title: Joy
Artist: The Jilted Brides
Composer: Skeltys
URL: http://www.myspace.com/thejiltedbrides

CD title: Music Inspired by the Motion Picture 'Amazing Grace'
Track title: Holy Holy Holy
Artist: Steven Curtis Chapman
Composer: Keble/Dykes/arr. Chapman
CD details: Crossroad/ EMI 0946 3 73848 2 4
URL: http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/

Presenter

Geoff Wood

Producer

Geoff Wood