In Celebration of the Human Voice - The Essential Musical Instrument
Home | Doo Wop | Barbershop | World | Contemporary | Christian | Vocal Jazz | Choral | Christmas | Instructional | Arrangements
I am told by various relatives that I was actually composing at the age of five. The story they tell is that when called to dinner I would always procrastinate, asking for just a few minutes more to write out some additional notes. But my real memories of myself as a composer start around the age of 17. Having heard Milhaud's Suadedos de Brazil, I wanted to write a couple of South American piano pieces of my own. The result was a suite called From the Rio. It was a very good effort for a 17 year old.
Soon after, I moved to California where I enrolled at UCLA and also joined an amateur adult choir conducted by a fine high school director named Jim Burt. He was very encouraging of me as a composer, trying out a few things of mine with his adult choir and then performing two Keats settings with his High School group. It was my first real public performance.
Displaying 1-4 of 4 items.
Review: Founded in 1955 by Gregg Smith, The Gregg Smith Singers have made over 35 US and a dozen European tours, and their recordings have won 3 Grammys and two Montreux Awards. Here the Singers perform the eclectic work of American composer Edwin London. Belonging to no particular school, Edwin's music is alternatively experimental and traditional, it is invariably deeply musical and beautiful. Often theatrical, sometimes literary, occasionally humorous (for instance the composed-out hiccups in the second movement of Jove's Nectar), London's music follows his own path. The surrealistic song titles give us a taste of the composer's unconventional mindset: "Celia's Hiccups," "Canon for Dizzy," "Dr. Lassus," "Fanfaronnada" and "Bach (Again)." There is some orchestra accompaniment on "Dirge with Bells," strings on "Moon Sound Zone," and kazoo and strings on "Psalm of These Days I." All in all, "Jove's Nectar" is some of the most out-there, and interesting, choral music we've heard!
Songlist: Estampie, Celia's Hiccups, Canon for Dizzy, Dr. Lassus, Strangers from the East, Fanfaronnada, Dirge with Bells, Moon Sound Zone, Psalm of these Days I, Psalm of these Days V, Bach (again)
Review:
Songlist: Me gustas guando , Dos Caroazones, La Fraternidad, Corazon disperso, Voy a caballo, Sobre el arrozal, Pongo a la luna, Un murcielago, Veloz la rana, Niebla del alba, Vuelan hermosas, La Orilla del Mar, La Tarde, Pescador de Luna, Cantata een la Tumba de Garcia Lorca, Adonde vais, zagales, Aquella flor del campo, Villancico de los pastorcillos, Villancico de los negritos, Villancico de las zagalas, La Noche, Testimonial, Totcuic
Review: The 17 men and women of the Gregg Smith Singers, directed by Gregg, perform a piece written by New York City composer Wm. Duckworth, who was affected by "shaped note" (helping the congregation learn the tune by making the notes square, round, triangular and diamond-shaped) singing in rural churches. "Southern" is based on an 1854 hymn collection of the same name, and it is a parody in the ancient sense, not humorous, but a rewriting, paraphrase and commentary on the material. There are 20 songs here, divided into four books: "Consolation," "Wondrous Love," "Hebrew Children," "Solemn Thought," "Rock of Ages," "Cheerful," "War Department," Condescension," "Holy Manna," "Bozrah," "The Mouldering Vine," "Mear," "Leander," "Sardina," "Windham," "Distress," "Nashville, "Turtle Dove," "Primrose" and "Social Band." An intriguing choral piece, with orchestral use of voices, that goes off into surprising, theatrical melodic directions.
Songlist: Consolation, Wondrous Love, Hebrew Children, Solemn Thought, Rock of Ages, Cheerful, War Department, Condescension, Holy Manna, Bozrah, The Mouldering Vine, Mear, Leander, Sardina, Windham, Distress, Nashville, Turtle Dove, Primrose, Social Band
Review: These analog recordings were made in San Marco in Venice in the spring of 1967, and were legendary in their time. They introduced a large public to the great Renaissance master, in stunning sound. The digital remastering makes them even more spectacular sounding than their original LP release, revealing the rich acoustic in which they were recorded, which was the space for which this music was originally composed.
Songlist: Deus, In Nomine Tuo, Beata Es, Virgo Maria, Jubilemus Singuli, Deus, Deus Meus, Ad Te De Luce Viglio, O Quam Suavis Est, Kyrie, Sanctus, Benedictus, Cantate Domino, Domine, Exaudi Orationem Meam, Hodie Completi Sunt, Magnificat, Surrexit Chirstus, Nunc Dimittis, Jubilate Deo a 10, Intonatio - Jubilate Deo a 8
Choral Music - Home
All Choral Groups | Choral Christmas | Composers | Choral Directors | Choral arrangements
Mixed Voice Groups | Mixed Voice CDs | Mixed Childrens Choirs | Mixed Childrens CDs | Mixed Voice Christmas CDs
Male Choral Groups | Male Choral CDs | Boyschoirs | Boyschoirs CDs | Male Choral Christmas CDs
Womens Choral Groups | Womens Choral CDs | Girls Choirs | Girls Choirs CDs | Female Choral Christmas CDs
Early Music Groups | Early Music CDs | Early Music Christmas CDs
Spirituals | Church Choirs | Madrigals | Choral DVDs | Complete choral list
Choral Development - Home | Choral Conducting | Techniques & Methods | Warm-Ups & Exercises | Rehearsal
Choral Choreography | Instructional DVDs | Children's Choir Development | Pedagogy | Singers Resources | Director Resourses
Choral music by Country - America | England | Canada | Bulgaria | Hungary | Germany | Estonia
Latvia | Russia | Denmark | Netherlands | Sweden | Africa | Latin American
All Rights Reserved All Content, page design, CGI Copyright © United Singers International