Joseph Flummerfelt

Review: Westminster Choir College is a center for music studies in Princeton, NJ, with a four-year music college and graduate school which prepares men and women for careers as music leaders. The 40 mixed-voice Westminster Choir, part of the 200-voice Symphonic Choir, is internationally renowned, as is Joseph Flummerfelt, who besides being choral activities director at the College, is Chorus Master of the NY Philharmonic. 20 songs, all organ accompanied, but the focus is on the perfect, soaring voices. "When In Our Music God Is Glorified," "Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones," "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah," "Let All The World In Every Corner Sing," Randall Thompson's "The Last Words of David," "Holy, Holy, Holy," "All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night" and "Old Hundredth Psalm Tune" are favorites, reveling in the magnificence of this powerful, traditional church music!

Songlist: When In Our Music God Is Glorified, O How Amiable (Ralph Vaughan Williams), How Lovely are the Messengers (Felix Mendelssohn), Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones, Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Dwelling-Place (Ronald Arnatt), Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah, My Shepherd Will Supply My Need (arr. Virgil Thomson), For All the Saints, Like as the Hart, Let All the World in Every Corner Sing, The King of Love My Shepherd Is, How Firm a Foundation, Lord Make Me An Instrument (David Stanley York), The Last Words of David (Randall Thompson), Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart, Holy, Holy, Holy, Be Thou My Vision, Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven, All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night, Old Hundredth Psalm Tune (arr. R. Vaughan Williams)

Review: Director and conductor of The 37 mixed-voice Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, NJ since 1971, Joseph Flummerfelt has made the Choir synonymous with musical excellence, working with eminent conductors and performing with the world's major orchestras. "Singing for Pleasure" is all about Brahms, and has 23 pieces, 9 movements of "Liebeslieder-Walzer, Op. 52, the 3 sweet a cappella movements of "Deutsche Volkslieder," 5 movements of "Zigeunerlieder, Op. 103," "O Heiland, Reiss Die Himmel Auf, Op. 74, No. 2," Four Quartets, and Neue Liebeslieder-Walzer, Op. 65." Most songs are piano-accompanied. The Westminster is the perfect choir for this music, with the strength and passion for a dramatic piece like "No. 5 Braunner Bursche fuhrt zum Tanze," and the perfect harmonic pitch for pieces like "In stiller Nacht" and "No. 7 Kommt dir manchmal in den Sinn." A lovely collection of lesser-known works by the master composer.

Songlist: Liebeslieder-Walzer, Op. 52:, No. 8 Wenn so lind dein Auge mir, No. 9 Am Donaustrande, No. 10 O wie sanft die Quelle, No. 11 Nein, es ist nicht auszukommen, No. 12 Schlosser auf, und mache Schlosser, No. 13 Vogelein durchrauscht die Luft, No. 14 Sieh, wie ist die Welle klar, No. 15 Nachtigall, sie sigt so schon, No. 16 Ein dunkeler Schacht ist Liebe, Deutsche Volkslieder:, Abschliedeslied, In stiller Nacht, Die Wollust in den Malen, Ziguenerlieder, Op. 103:, No. 5 Braunner Bursche fuhrt zum Tanze, No. 6 Roslein dreie in der Reihe, No. 7 Kommt dir manchmal in den Sinn, No. 8 Horch, der Wind klang in den Zweigen, No. 9 Weit und breit schaut niemand mich an, O Heiland, Reiss Die Himmel Auf, Op. 74 No. 2, Four Quartets:, An die heimat, Op. 64, No. 1, Der Abend, Op. 64. No. 2, Spatherbst, Op. 92, No. 2, Abendlied, Op. 92, No. 3, Neue Liebeslieder-Walkzer, Op. 65:, No. 15 Zum Schluss