CD-Charts Position 191
Average Rating:

Strauss, Nono, Wagner

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
from: Hanssler Classics

Release Date August 08, 2006
Interspersing works of a major figure of the avant garde, Luigi Nono with choral works by Richard Strauss and choral arrangements of vocal works by Mahler and Wagner might seem a risky thing to do, but Nono manages to hold his own in this "classical" crowd, and one would do well to remember in this context that Wagner and Mahler were regarded as revolutionaries in their own day. Nono's CORI DI DIDONE (1958) is one of his most complex works, written for 32 part chorus and percussion, it is fiendishly difficult to perform, but has a lyrical, almost impressionistic sound. (It is interesting to note that Hanssler has another, much faster performance of the same work on their CHORAL MUSIC OF LUIGI NONO CD, but this one, with slower tempi makes a ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 192
Average Rating:

John Tavener: Innocence

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
from: Sony

Release Date October 31, 1995
Take a creative man who likes William Blake poetry and put him in front of an organ in a cavernous cathedral and give him full reign and see what results you get. Curious? Oh, yes, and light some candles, lots of candles, and pretend you're in the 19th century...maybe at a witch trial or something (did they still have them in the 1800's?). Be warned. Track nmbr 2 you may want to turn down. I had my volume up pretty high on track nmbr 1 and track nmbr 2 came blaring through.... almost broke my speakers. But I liked it....

CD-Charts Position 193
Average Rating:

Heart Beat

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
by: Vocolot

Release Date October 06, 2002
We purchased this album after an evening on listening to Vocolot at a concern at our Temple. The music is wonderful, uplifting and entertaining. It is a mixture of Hebrew, English, Yiddish and spanish music. The five womens voices mix beautifully with percussion and other intesting instruments including a bit of Ham-boning. It is a mixture of old music with new arrangements and new music. Definitely worth listening to over and over.

CD-Charts Position 194
Average Rating:

Takemitsu: Songs

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
from: Hanssler Classics

Release Date November 13, 2007
Toru Takemitsu's serious music seems to blend in equal parts Webern, Debussy AND Japanese traditional music. I was expecting Webern-like art songs. In fact, these are pop songs that Takemitsu wrote, mostly for American, European and Asian produced films and television shows. Most of the texts are in English. The composer crafts attractive if unremarkable tunes. One or two of them stand out above the rest, especially a haunting pacifist song "All That The Old Man Left Behind When He Died".
Sixty minutes of a French countertenor singing pop songs in English with piano accompaniment was not an easy sell for me, but Dominique Visse won me over by the end. He doesn't put too much pressure on the voice and handles the lyrics nicely. Francois Couturier ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 195
Average Rating:

Kodaly: Missa Brevis; Esti Dal

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
from: Chandos

Release Date October 19, 1999
Toru Takemitsu's serious music seems to blend in equal parts Webern, Debussy AND Japanese traditional music. I was expecting Webern-like art songs. In fact, these are pop songs that Takemitsu wrote, mostly for American, European and Asian produced films and television shows. Most of the texts are in English. The composer crafts attractive if unremarkable tunes. One or two of them stand out above the rest, especially a haunting pacifist song "All That The Old Man Left Behind When He Died".
Sixty minutes of a French countertenor singing pop songs in English with piano accompaniment was not an easy sell for me, but Dominique Visse won me over by the end. He doesn't put too much pressure on the voice and handles the lyrics nicely. Francois Couturier ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 196
Average Rating:

King's Singers Believe in Music

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
from: Angel Records

Release Date October 25, 1990
I picked up this CD on a whim in the early 90's as a last minute purchase added to other CDs I was buying. I've been a fan since the early 80's & they never cease to amaze me. Although this is now an older CD I believe it is one of the King's Singers best. I'd put it right up there with Madrigal History Tour & Good Vibrations. This saucy sextet delivers the goods time & time again with perfect diction, phrasing & pitch. Take a listen & just lose yourself in the harmonys, you won't regret it.

CD-Charts Position 197
Average Rating:

Vaughan Williams: Over hill, over dale

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
from: Hyperion UK

Release Date November 21, 1995
THIS MUSIC DEPICTS A SAMPLING OF RALPH V.W. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END, AND WHAT BEAUTY HE GAVE US!

Ralph Vaughan-Williams loved "the lilt of the chorus at the music hall...children dancing to a barrel organ, the rousing fervor of a Salvation Army Hymn, St.Paul's and a great choir singing at one of its festivals...the Welshmen striking up one of their own hymns...the cries of street pedlars, the factory girls singing their sentimental songs." This disc somehow reflects all of these influences. I think it makes him a true folksong specialist!

The music included herein covers the whole of the composer's long career-from "The Willow Song" written when he was eighteen, to "Heart's Music",composed three years before ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 198
Average Rating:

Earth Chants: Madrigal Singers Of Sbhs

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
from: Sheffield Lab

Release Date October 15, 1994
I have had the pleasure of hearing one of Ms. Zimmerman's choirs perform. She is a wonderful conductor and teacher. This is proven in the way her choir sings. Earth Chants is a wonderful record and I would recommend it to anyone, whether you like choiral music or not. They SBHS Madrigals have near, if not perfect intonation and their songs have so much emotion. I have had the pleasure of singing the Brahms and Cantante Domino, both of which are very beautiful, as well as difficult to sing. If you like this album, check out Canticle, Zimmerman's newest group, or the Lompoc High School Madrigals (this is hard to find, you can call the school for more info). Both are very talented groups.

CD-Charts Position 199
Average Rating:

A Cappella: Best of the Vocal Bands

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
by: The Bobs, The Nylons, The Blenders

Release Date March 23, 1999
I have had the pleasure of hearing one of Ms. Zimmerman's choirs perform. She is a wonderful conductor and teacher. This is proven in the way her choir sings. Earth Chants is a wonderful record and I would recommend it to anyone, whether you like choiral music or not. They SBHS Madrigals have near, if not perfect intonation and their songs have so much emotion. I have had the pleasure of singing the Brahms and Cantante Domino, both of which are very beautiful, as well as difficult to sing. If you like this album, check out Canticle, Zimmerman's newest group, or the Lompoc High School Madrigals (this is hard to find, you can call the school for more info). Both are very talented groups.

CD-Charts Position 200
Average Rating:

Acappella Resurrection

CD-Charts > Music > A Cappella
by: Acappella

Release Date April 05, 1994
I have often bemoaned the lack of Easter themed releases. In my mind, it should be just as big a holiday for Christians as Christmas is. There are some wonderful songs about this holiday that have been written and recorded, but I often long for them in one place. This CD works to fill in that gap. This CD features one new song and new arrangements of classic Easter songs. Naturally, some of these arrangements work better then others.

The CD opens with a new version of "Celebrate Jesus" that is so full of energy, it's easy to catch the mood of the CD. It then goes on to the classic "Easter Song" and a wonderful new arrangement of "Rise Again." This Dallas Holm classic has never sounded better then this more upbeat ... Read More: