Libby Larsen is one of the grande dames of Minnesota composers, and the Singers-Minnesota Choral Artists once again demonstrated why, performing her ravishing suite, "A Lover's Journey." They take it as the title of a program, heard Thursday night in Ramsey, exploring love in all its varieties.

Larsen composed her suite for Britain's six-voice King's Singers and gave Matthew Culloton permission to arrange it for the Singers. The larger ensemble's artistic director masterfully maintained its chamber-music clarity.

Using poetry of James Joyce and Shakespeare, Larsen demonstrated her incredible sensitivity at setting the English language, from a racy text of a maid's deflowering to a witty, minute-long acceptance of a marriage proposal to a lyrical effusion to "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?"

The Singers easily handled Larsen's complex harmonies and swirling tonalities, and Culloton has matured significantly in six years with the group. He has developed a technically proficient ensemble that sings with gusto and commitment.

The concert also featured the world premiere "To My Parents," a commission from composer-in-residence Joshua Shank set on a poem by Wendell Berry. The a cappella anthem's move from haunting dissonance to full-throated major tonality became a powerful evocation of forgiveness.

A third premiere, "Make Music Sweet" by L.A.-based Jenni Brandon, won the Singers' 2009 Choral Horizon Composition Contest; it was pleasantly melodic, but undistinguished.

In a clever bit of programming, Culloton paired two 20th-century partsongs with 16th-century madrigals to nice effect.

The concert also featured a deeply felt, pristine reprise of "Les Chansons des Roses" by Morten Lauridsen. It deserved to be preserved, and indeed the Singers will record it in April with Lauridsen at the piano.

The evening ended with "Three Madrigals" to texts by Shakespeare, by Emma Lou Diemer. These light confections were delicately and charmingly performed.

William Randall Beard writes regularly about music.