CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst and Other Choral Works

by: Eric Whitacre, Polyphony, Robert Millett, Stephen Betteridge, Stephen Layton

Release Date February 14, 2006
What a gorgeous recording this is! The beauty of this music is absolutely stunning, like hearing music for the first time. It's really hard to believe that Whitacre is only 35--the degree of spirituality and depth of feeling here seems the product of a lifetime. And unlike many choral composers, he is not a one-trick pony. Every aspect of every composition is distinctive, even as it is always recognizable as his. And like Arvo Part, you get the overwhelming sense that every note is heartfelt, never calculated, though Whitacre's aesthetic is warmer and less austere than Part's ("Sunburst" would have been a more apt title for the CD). I am also reminded in some ways of the Bulgarian women's choirs: Bulgarian music is full of extreme dissonance, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Lux Aurumque

from: Gothic Records

Release Date May 08, 2007
Wonderful CD by an impeccable group of singers; sad that it was their last album.

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Eric Whitacre: The Complete A Cappella Works, 1991-2001

from: Arsis Records

Release Date April 29, 2003
This is a wonderful selection of choral pieces composed by Eric Whitacre. I liked the variety of selections on this CD.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Beautiful River

from: Tantara Records

Release Date September 27, 2005
I've been listening to this CD for about a month and I can't get enough of the BYU Concert Choir. Their voices are still young enough to have a hint of sweetness ~ but overall, this is an extremely mature sound. The harmonies are intricate and interesting, their dynamics are masterful, the song selection is wonderful ~ haunting sometimes, which I love. What a marvelous CD. I recommend it to anyone who loves choral music, but especially for those that appreciate something spiritual.

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Passions

from: Klavier

Release Date December 20, 2005
This is another wonderful disc from the Klavier label. The band performs wonderfully. Each of the works is performed with great musicality. I am a music major myself, and it is wonderful to hear such quality works performed so well. The "Three Notes from Japan" is a very interesting work - it has a few of those moments where you just want to say "wow" in it. My personal favorite tracks are "Children's March: 'Over the hills and far away'","October", "Song of the Blacksmith" from Second Suite in F (because the anvil is awesome!), and "Exultate". While you may not agree with all of Mr. Corporon's interpretations of these powerful works, no one who hears this disc can deny the quality of the ensemble - I would recommend this disc to anyone who is passionate ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

The Music Of Eric Whitacre

from: MCD

Release Date November 09, 1999
I have been a choral singer for 30 years, and have been to Europe five times on concert tours. Although I have a serious interest in all genres of music, choral music is what moves me most. I'm always open to hearing new music, and once I encounter something that appeals to me, I usually seek to find a copy for my library.

During last year's holiday season, I happened to catch a Christmas festival broadcast on the PBS-HD channel, featuring the choirs, handbells and orchestra of Concordia College. In the middle of the concert they performed "Lux Aurumque" by Eric Whitacre. At that time, I had heard of Eric Whitacre, but had not yet heard any of his music.

Words cannot express what I felt as I listened to their performance of ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Water & Light

by: Choral Project, Daniel Hughes

Release Date November 15, 2003
Truly dissapointed with this one.

Of course, BYU's is better than this; the sopranos sound like they have an average age of 60.

The soprano section lives in some wierd dichotomy. During the "Agnus Dei" you get a particularly bad B-52 like vibrato, then during the 7/8 section of "5 Hebrew Songs" they sound like a mediocre State School College Choir with a breathy unsupported sound. Both instances weren't out of tune. They just lacked a firm foundation.

When the soloists in "Tonight Eternity Alone" come in with shocking vibrato and lack of professional musicality, I actually skipped ahead.

If you are looking for a great cd other than BYU's. Try the CD entitled "Cloudburst", sung by Polyphony, conducted ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Conspirare: Through the Green Fuse [HYBRID SACD]

by: Conspirare

Release Date November 30, 2004
I acquired this cd a couple of weeks ago and have not been able to take it out of my cd player since. This is a quality recording of a wide variety of choral literature, all of which Conspirare performs marvelously. A truly wonderful arrangement by Conspirare's own conductor, Craig Hella Johnson, "Hard Times" is actually one of my favorite tracks on the entire cd, the gorgeous soprano solo and the powerful climax never fail to give me chills. Also noteworthy is the stunning performance of the increasingly popular Ticheli piece, "There Will Be Rest." Almost all of the literature on this disc is very good, and it is all breathtakingly sung by Conspirare.

The only track I didn't like was the unbearably tacky arrangement of "Deep River." This is no fault ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Welcome All Wonders!: Christmas at Washington National Cathedral

by: Cathedral Choral Society, J. Reilly Lewis, Eric Plutz, Edward Nassor

Release Date September 07, 2004
I acquired this cd a couple of weeks ago and have not been able to take it out of my cd player since. This is a quality recording of a wide variety of choral literature, all of which Conspirare performs marvelously. A truly wonderful arrangement by Conspirare's own conductor, Craig Hella Johnson, "Hard Times" is actually one of my favorite tracks on the entire cd, the gorgeous soprano solo and the powerful climax never fail to give me chills. Also noteworthy is the stunning performance of the increasingly popular Ticheli piece, "There Will Be Rest." Almost all of the literature on this disc is very good, and it is all breathtakingly sung by Conspirare.

The only track I didn't like was the unbearably tacky arrangement of "Deep River." This is no fault ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

4 Flew Over the Hornet's Nest

from: Klavier

Release Date February 06, 2007
I acquired this cd a couple of weeks ago and have not been able to take it out of my cd player since. This is a quality recording of a wide variety of choral literature, all of which Conspirare performs marvelously. A truly wonderful arrangement by Conspirare's own conductor, Craig Hella Johnson, "Hard Times" is actually one of my favorite tracks on the entire cd, the gorgeous soprano solo and the powerful climax never fail to give me chills. Also noteworthy is the stunning performance of the increasingly popular Ticheli piece, "There Will Be Rest." Almost all of the literature on this disc is very good, and it is all breathtakingly sung by Conspirare.

The only track I didn't like was the unbearably tacky arrangement of "Deep River." This is no fault ... Read More: