The Tudor Choir
The Tudor Choir is a professional choral arts organization that was founded by Artistic Director Doug Fullington in 1993 and is dedicated to historically-informed concert performances and recordings. The choir's repertory has emphases on Renaissance, early American, and English music. The choir maintains a flexible membership of between 8 and 40 singers. The Tudor Choir presents an annual subscription series of Renaissance polyphony presented in the Seattle area, where the choir is both an Artist-in-Residence at St. Mark's Cathedral and a Resident Ensemble at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Medina. The Tudor Choir has also performed with Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Mark Morris Dance Group. They have performed in conjunction with Seattle Opera, recorded for Seattle Symphony Orchestra's Musically Speaking series and performed live on National Public Radio's A Prairie Home Companion broadcast.
Doug Fullington and the Tudor Choir have established themselves as leading interpreters of early American music. Their Shapenote Album is regarded as the definitive professional recording of the shapenote genre and is regularly played on National Public Radio. Other recent recordings, Simple Gifts and An American Christmas have reinforced this reputation. The choir will record another shaker album in April of 2006.
The Tudor Choir recently has won inclusion on two touring rosters – Early Music America's National Star Spangled Season roster (to promote U.S.-based early music groups to U.S. presenters) and the King County Arts Commission's Touring Arts Roster (which promotes local groups to area presenters). The ensemble has cultivated relationships with a number of world-renowned conductors, and has sung under the direction of Stephen Cleobury (King's College, Cambridge, England), Martin Haselböck (Vienna), Paul Hillier (Hilliard Ensemble, Theatre of Voices), Andrew Parrott (Taverner Choir) and Peter Phillips (The Tallis Scholars).
Artistic Director Doug Fullington received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in music history and a degree in law from the University of Washington, Seattle. In 1989 he formed the English Singers and later The Tudor Choir.
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'Tis the Gift to be Simple The Humble Heart The Star Of Purity All At Home Simple Gifts I am the Rose of Sharon I Wish I Was A Child Again Jesus Christ the Apple Tree My Shepherd Will Supply My Need Simple Gifts Zion's Walls The Hills At The Water's Edge He That is Down Need Fear no Fall O Taste and See The Call Williams Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep One Thing Have I Desir The Gift to Be Simple |
A follow-up to their successful CD of Shaker tunes, "Gentle Words," The Tudor Choir expands the repertoire to include other British and American music of simple character and enduring melody. The Tudor Choir's lovely shaping of phrases, impeccable intonation and unadorned, clean sound allow the words and music to become the Shaker "prayer language," to free the mind from the world, to visit the soul.
Listen to "The Star Of Purity" in RealAudio.
| 9022 CD $16.95 |
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Ecce quam bonum Deus qui nos patrem et matrem Requiem Requiem aeternam Kyrie Absolve Domine Offertory Domine Jesu Christe Sanctus and Benedictus Agnus Dei Communion: Lux aeterna Continuo lacrimas Magnificat quarti toni Ego me diligentes diligo Misit me pater vivens Pater peccavi Cum esset |
The Tudor Choir adds to its critically acclaimed collection of recordings with this new CD of music by Renaissance composer Jacob Clemens non Papa (c.1515-c.1555). Clemens composed in all of the expected genres of his time. Much of his music is infused with a personal quality that differs from the generally abstract nature of much Renaissance sacred music. The music on this disc is a survey of his Latin-texted sacred polyphony, including his intimate Requiem, plus a Magnificat setting and a sampling of motets. The pieces chosen for this recording reveal texts that portray such themes as relationships, family, and remembrance and therefore demonstrate the unusual personal quality to be found in Clemens s works.
| 7827 CD $15.98 |
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Shepherd's Star Shiloh The Cherry Tree Antioch Sherburne Emanuel for Christmas Redemption S.M. Anthem for Luke Joys Seven Bethlehem C.M Redemption L.M. Boston for Christmas Bonnie Doon Star in the East Oxford Judea New Bethlehem London I Saw Three Ships Raymond Convoy Distress Milford |
The 17 mixed voices of Seattle's Tudor Choir, founded by Doug Fullington in 1993, have a focused repertoire dedicated to historically informed concerts and recordings with an emphasis on Renaissance, early American and English choral music. While putting together 1996's "The Shapenote Album," the Choir came across "An American Christmas Harp," a shapenote collection, and were inspired to record "An American Christmas. We won't go into defining shapenote, referring you to the 28-page liner notes, but we will say that it's intensely harmonic and spirited, and often includes fugues. 23 songs, some of which we know by other names, "Antioch," for instance, we know as "Joy to the World." Some favorites: "Shiloh," "Sherburne," "Emanuel, For Christmas," "Redemption, S.M.," "Anthem from Luke," "Joys Seven," "Boston, For Christmas," "Bonnie Doon," "Judea," "London," "Raymond" and "Milford." These now obscure songs were once as familiar to rural Americans as "White Christmas." Shapenote is joyous, celebratory music, fun to sing and fun to hear.
Listen to "Shiloh" in RealAudio.
| 6947 CD $15.98 |
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Montgomery Windham Sweet prospect China Soar Away The better land Weeping Mary White Mortality Eternal Day Heavenly Union Expression Evening Shade Kedron Love the Lord Condescension All is Well Africa Traveling on Happy land New Jerusalem Primrose Peace and joy Schenectady |
Tudor founder Doug Fullington directs the 17-strong Seattle-based mixed choir in a wonderful collection of 18th and 19th century American Shapenote songs, in this their 2nd CD. The composers who wrote and taught Shapenote songs sought ways for the melody to crop up in all of the vocal parts, or at least for each vocal part to have an interesting musical line, as opposed to all the lower parts supporting the sopranos. 24 spirited songs are here, some of the most melodic, upbeat Christian hymns we've heard. It's obviously more fun to sing Shapenote, because the singers are just singing their tails off! "Montgomery," "Sweet Prospect," "China," "Soar away," the joyous "The better land," the welcoming "Weeping Mary," the dynamic "Eternal day," "Heavenly union," "Evening shade," "All is well," "Africa," "Traveling on," the upbeat "Happy land," the glorious fugue "New Jerusalem," "Hallelujah" These are amazing songs, very blue collar, not designed to be sung in cathedrals. One rarely suspects of cathedral choirs that they are having too much fun singing, but we are certain of it here! Extensive liner notes. Recommended!
Listen to "Weeping Mary" in RealAudio.
| 6814 CD $15.98 |
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I will bow and be simple In yonder valley All is summer O Lord make me pure Love is little The burning day Circular march Help me, O Lord Heavenly Display Followers of the lamb Come to Zion We must be meek Lay me low Solemn song Beautiful treasure Peace Angels of heaven Hunger and thirst Dismission of Great I Revelation Prayer for the captive Genlte words Beautiful valley Jubilee Exekiel's vision Almighty Savior Cords of love I will go on my way |
The Shakers (or United Society of Believers) originated in England in 1747. In 1770 the charismatic Ann Lee became the acknowledged leader, she and 8 others departed for America in 1774 to escape persecution. Their animated and ecstatic worship practices gave rise to their common name. The societies they formed are characterized by pacifism, gender/racial equality and an astounding industriousness and invention. These songs are part of a body of 10,000 Shaker songs. There are 28 a cappella tunes here, all following the Shaker aesthetics of beauty, simplicity and utility. "I will bow and be simple," "In Yonder Valley," "All is summer," "Love is little," "The burning day," the triumphant "Circular march," "Heavenly display," the foot-stomping "Followers of the Lamb," the joyous "Angels of heaven," "Dismission of Great I," "Gentle words," "Beautiful Valley," "Jubilee," "Cords of love" There is a quiet beauty and power to these songs--no wonder the Shakers have outlived all other utopian religious groups. Spirited, spiritual music sung beautifully!
Listen to "Heavenly Display" in RealAudio.
| 6819 CD $15.98 |
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Out fo your sleep (Richard Rodney Bennett) Verbum caro (John Sheppard) The truth from above (arr. Ralph Vaughan WIlliams) Ave maris Stella (John Sheppard) Gabriel's Message (arr. Edgar Pettman) Ecce Virgo Concipiet (Sarum Chant) There is no rose of such virtue (John Joubert) A solis ortus cardine (Sarum Chant) Eterne Laudis Lilium (Robert Fayrfax) Christe, Redemptor omnium (Sarum Chant) Make we jow now in this fest (William Walton) Nesciens mater (Sarum chant) In the bleak midwinter (Gustav Holst) Reges Tharsis (John Sheppard) Bethlehem Down (Peter Warlock) Salvator mundi, Domine (John Sheppard) The blessed Song of God (R. Vaughn Williams) |
The music on this recording spans many centuries, including 20th-century carols,
Tudor polyphony, and chant from medieval Englandıs Sarum rite. Producing a choral
sound that is distinctly English in heritage, the Tudor Choir sings this music
with intelligence and heart. Shape note music, Shaker songs, Sheppard, Tallis,
and Victoria.
| 7338 CD $15.98 |
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