Robert Shaw

Review: This recording presents a poignant compilations disc of songs, laments, chants, and single movements from large sacred works-all conducted by the late Robert Shaw-that evoke peace, reflection and remembrance. All of the thirteen tracks in this beautiful collection are taken from a wide variety of previously released recordings made for Telarc by the late Robert Shaw, the Dean of American choral conductors. The featured compositions include single movements from large works for chorus and orchestra (such as the Requiems of Mozart, Faure, and Durufle) as well as works for unaccompanied voices (such as the "Ave Maria" from Quattro Pezzi Sacri by Verdi.) The recording opens with the serene sounds of Gregorian chant: six verses of the Stabat Mater dolorosa, followed by the "Fac ut ardeat" movement from the Stabat Mater by Poulenc. Secular works featured on Elegy include Beethoven's Elegiac Song; the Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) by Brahms; a movement from Hindemith's poignant When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd; and the "Bois muertri" from Poulenc's Un soir de neige (Night of Snow). The recording closes, fittingly, with Schoenberg's eloquent a cappella choral work, Friede auf Erden (Peace on Earth).

Songlist: Gregorian Chant: Stabat Mater Dolorosa, Stabat Mater, Ave Verum Corpus, RequiemIV, Requiem Op. 48, Requiem Op. 9, Mass In G Major, Quattro Pezzi Sacri, Un Soir De Neige, Elegiac Song, When Lilacs Last In The Moonlight Dooryard Bloom'd, Schicksalslied, Friede Auf Erden

Review: Telarc Records delves into its vault of treasured Robert Shaw recordings to re-release music that is cherished by choral enthusiasts worldwide. The Shaw catalog is near and dear to the heart of Robert Woods, president of Telarc, who handles the late conductor's legacy with great reverence. "Sacred" brings together works performed by not only Shaw and the amazing Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, but also the legendary Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Both choral entities have garnered numerous GRAMMY Awards for Telarc.

Songlist: Ubi caritas from Four Gregorian Moets, Op. 10, Lu, aetmerna from Requiem, Op. 9, Sanctus from Requiem, Op. 9, O Magnum Mysterium, Ave verum corpus, K.618, Kyie from Mass No. 2, D.167 in G major, How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place, Lift Thine Eyes to the Mountains from Elijah, He Watching Over Isreal from Elijah, Make me to weep lovingly with you, Take Time To Be Holy, Abide with Me; 'Tis Eventide, Rejoice, O Virgin (Bogoroditsye Devo, Raduisya) from Vespers (All-Night Vigil) -, Pie Jesu from Requiem, Op. 48, Fount of Every Blessing (excerpt), Sanctus from Requiem, Op. 5

Review: This is the second compilation recording to feature sacred choral classics conducted by Robert Shaw. The baroque era is represented by Vivaldi's Gloria and J.S. Bach's Magnificat; the classical and romantic periods include selections from Mozart's Requiem, and the Verdi and Berlioz Requiems; and the twentieth century is well-represented with selections from the Poulenc Mass in G Major, the Durufle Requiem, and Mahler's Symphony No. 8, the "Symphony of a Thousand." Operatic selections are included by composers Arrigo Boito (the "Prologue" from Mephistofele), and Pietro Mascagni (the "Regina coeli" from Cavalleria rusticana). Also contributing to the dramatic sense of contrast on this recording is the juxtapositioning of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus with the ethereal, a capella sounds of the Shaw Festival Singers, who are highlighted in "Bless the Lord, O my soul," from Rachmaninoff's Vespers; and in the "Agnus Dei" from the Poulenc Mass in G Major.

Songlist: Mefistofele: Prologue, Mass In G Major: Agnus Dei, Mass In C minor, K.427: Kyrie, Christ On The Mount of Olives: Hallelujah, Vespers: Bless The Lord, O My Soul, Requiem, Op. 9: Sanctus, Te Deum, Op. 103: Te Deum Laudamus, Gloria: Et In Terra Pax, Magnificat: Suscepit Israel, Requiem, Op 48: Pie Jesu, Requiem, Libera Me, Cavalleria Rusticana: Regina Coeli, Mass No. 2 In G Major:Benedictus, Requiem Op. 5: Rex Tremendae, Symphony No. 8: Finale

Review: The Faure Requiem was begun in 1886 and finished in the first weeks of 1888. Unlike other requiems, this piece has no sense of doom or angst. It expresses no fear of death, but rather depicts the reaching for eternal happiness. Warm and comforting, this work is a rare gem in the French repertoire. Durufle's greatest known work was his Requiem written in 1947. At the time it was commissioned, Durufle was composing a suite for organ solo based on the Gregorian chants of the Mass for the Dead. It was this suite that was expanded and transformed to become the requiem. The insightful interpretation and superb performance of these requiems by Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus is unmatched. This release received a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Classical Recording.

Songlist: Faure Requiem (7 Movements), - Introit & Kyrie, - Offertory, - Sanctus, - Pie Jesu, - Agnus Dei, - Libera me, - In Paradisum, Durufle Requiem (9 Movements), - Introit, - Kyrie, - Domine Jesu Christe, - Sanctus, - Pie Jesu, - Agnus Dei, - Lux Aeterna, - Libera me, - In Paradisum

Review: Showcasing works from the preeminent composers of Western classical music, such as Schubert, Vivaldi and Bach, this recording is a compilation drawn from Robert Shaw's vast canon. Mr. Shaw, who recently died, was one of the most famous and recognized choral directors of modern day, and his association with the Atlanta Symphony and Chorus was a prolific one. These accompanied selections, on sacred and religious themes, are grand, dramatic and ornate. One of the most affecting is Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis: Gloria," which captures the intense emotion that heralded the beginning of the Romantic era.

Songlist: Gloria In Excelsis, Mass In B Minor: Sanctus, Messiah: And Suddenly Their Was The Angel-Glory To God, The Creation: Awake The Harp, Mass No. 2 In G Major: Gloria, Missa Solemnis: Gloria, Requim: Sanctus, Heavenly Light, Te Deum: Aeterna Fac, Vespers: Slava V Vyshnikh Bogu (Glory To God In The Highest), Requiem: Sanctus, Mass In G Major: Gloria, Alleluia, Mass: Sanctus, Magnificat

Review: Robert Shaw leads the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in some of opera's most beloved choruses. This assortment ranges from the immensely popular "Va pensiero" from Nabucco to the tragic end of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. Other selections include "Regina Coeli" from Cavalleria Rusticana and the "Anvil Chorus" from Il Trovatore. These choruses provide comic relief, enhance the plot or give voice to the desire for freedom. With guest soloists, soprano Christine Brewer, tenor Karl Dent and bass Kevin Maynor, this incredible chorus gives first rate performances of the grand and glorious from the stage. 

Songlist: Happy We! from Acis and Galatea (Handel), When I am Laid in Earth; With Drooping Wings, from Dido and Aeneas (Purcell), Zhivi i zdravstvui, Coronation Scene, from Boris Godunov (Moussorgskv), Les voice, from Carmen (Bizet), O wlche Lust! Prisoners' Chorus, from Fidelio (Beethoven), Wach'auf! from Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg (Wagner), Treulich gefuhrt, Bridal Chorus, from Lohengrin (Wagner), Begluckt' darf nun dich, Pilgrims' Chorus, from Tannhauser (Wagner), Freudig begrussen wir, Entrance of the Guests, from Tannhauser (Wagner), Vedi! le fosche notturne spoglie, Anvil Chorus, from Il Trovatore (Verdi), Que interminabile andirivieni! Servants' Chorus, from Don Pasquale (Donizetti), Zitti, Zitti, Conspirators' Chorus, from Rigoletto (Verdi), Va, Pensiero, Chorus of Hebrew Slaves, from Nabucco (Verdi), Regina Coeli, from Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni)

Review: There is an abundance of great choral music in the world. This compilation by Robert Shaw leading the Atlanta Symphony and Choruses is some of the best, from the opening movement of J.S. Bach's Magnificat to the "Intaberna quando sumus" from Orff's Carmina Burana. These pieces are triumphant and glorious and as always beautifully performed by this highly acclaimed group of musicians. It is hard to pick the favorites among the best, but this is a good place to start.

Songlist: "Gloria all'Egitto" from Aida, "Agnus Dei" from Requiem, "Magnificat anima mea" from Magnificat, "In taberna quando sumus" from Carmina burana, II. (Psalm 23-Psalm 2:1-4) from Chichester Psalms, Laudamus Te, "Kyrie" from Mass No. 2 in G Major, "Tui Nati vulnerati" from Stabat Mater, "Te Deum" from Four Sacred Pieces, "Sing to God" from The Creation, "Osanna in excelsis" from Mass in B Minor, "Cum Sancto Spiritu" from Gloria, "Selig sind die Toten" from Ein deutsches Requiem

Review: Robert Shaw's awards shelf had to be expanded to make room for the National Medal of Arts from Pres. Reagan, Musician of theYear by Musical America, the Theodore Thomas Award of the Conductor's Guild, a Gold Record, Britain's Gramophone Award, 13 Grammys, four ASCAP awards, the list goes on and on. Shaw began directing the Fred Waring Glee Club to radio fame, then his Collegiate Chorale, finally moving on to the Robert Shaw Chorale, whose tours and recordings brought him worldwide fame. He became music director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 1967. "The Power" combines the orchestral power (as in heavily accompanied) of the Symphony with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and the Robert Shaw Festival Singers to do justice to 17 monumental pieces by such heavies as Verdi, Durufle, Orff, Mozart, Borodin, Bach, Handel, Berlioz, Faure, Haydn and Rachmaninoff. Remember the drama and power of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's "Messiah?" It's here, and there's 16 others like it. Amazing!

Songlist: Dies irae (Giuseppe Verdi), Tuba Mirium, Pie Jesu (Maurice Durufle), O Fortuna (Carl Orff), Dies irae (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart), Rex tremendae, Confutatis, Lacrimosa, Polovtsian Dances (Alexander Borodin), Missa: Kyrie eleison (Johann Sebastian Bach), Hallelujah Chorus (George Frideric Handel), The Shepherds Farewell (Hector Berlioz), Sanctus (Gabriel Faure), The Heavens are Telling (Franz Joseph Haydn), "Va, pensiero" (Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) (Verdi), Nyne Otpushchayeshi (Sergei Rachmaninoff), Dies irae (Berlioz)

Review: Now available for the first time on CD, this is a reissue of the 1975 double LP and is a wonderful lasting testimony to the fabulous choral excellence of Mr. Shaw. This was a very successful release and was popular at the time but has been unavailable for many years. You will certainly feel the total majesty of one of America's finest choirs in this classic Christmas recording.

Songlist: O Come, O Come Emmanuel, And There Were Shepherds, Break Forth, Gloria in Excelsis, Et In Terra Pax, Allegro non Molto, Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming, There is a Rose in Flower, Dormi Jesu, Farandole, Jesus Shepherd My Beginning, Lully, Lullay Thou Little Tiny Child, The Shepherds' Farewell to the Holy Family, Adeste Fideles, Dona Nobis Pacem, Hallelujah

Review: The more modern and esoteric of Shaw's Christmas recordings, featuring the "Ceremony Of Carols," a modern suite by Benjamin Britten, comprising 11 tracks, and highlighting two soloists and harp. The contemporary composer, Morten Lauridsen's "O Magnum Mysterium" is also included; its simple and graceful melody floats ethereally by. Biebl's "Ave Maria," with its distinctive major/minor tension, Praetorius' "Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming," and Howell's "Sing Lullaby" are other gems, most of which are arranged by Shaw and Alice Parker. The sprightly "Allon, Gay Bergeres" and "While By My Sheep" suggest caroling from door-to-door, the crisp crunch of snow underfoot and rosy-cheeked smiles for all!

Songlist: O Come, Emmanuel, Alleluia, The First Nowell, The Carol Of The Birds, Allon, Gay Bergeres, A Hymn To The Virgin, O Magnum Mysterium, Rejoice and Sing, from "Christmas Oratorio", Ave Maria, What Is This Lovely Fragrance?, Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming, Sing Lullaby, While By My Sheep, Break Forth, O Wondrous Heavenly Light, from "Christmas Oratorio", Heavenly Light, Adeste Fideles, Ceremony Of Carols

Review: In addition to his many solo songs, Franz Schubert wrote about one hundred male quartets and choruses. These part songs, like their solo counterparts, use texts by the great poets, like Goethe and Schiller, and have equally beautiful melodies. The popularity of these pieces was due to the development of music making by the middle class. Small public concerts, given in taverns or peoples homes, were places that the songs would be performed. Schubert was often requested to compose these part-songs for the occasions. Among the all male songs is the gem "Standchen" which is scored for alto and male chorus with piano accompaniment. The men of the Robert Shaw Chamber Singers perform these rarely heard pieces with great beauty and lyricism. The songs on this CD are a cappella, with a few having guitar or piano accompaniment.

Songlist: Die Nacht, Die Nachtigall, Wehmuth, Der Gondelfahrer, Mondenschein, Nachthelle, Das Dorfchen, Die Einsiedelei, Sehnsucht, Grab Und Mond, Fruhlingsgesang, Liebe, Widerspruch, An Den Fruhling, La Pastorella, Standchen, Der Entfernten

Review: Twenty-nine carols arranged by Robert Shaw and Alice Parker, and sung by the forty-nine member Robert Shaw Chamber Singers. Many English, but some French, Spanish, Italian, German and the occasional American carol are included. In broad terms, carols were popular songs, and the original definition referred to a type of dance; remember, too, that Christmas was an adaptation of various pagan celebrations, an influence that can certainly be discerned in carols such as "Masters In This Hall," the sprightly rhythms of which are not meant to be listened to sitting down. Robert Shaw's various classical vocal ensembles are considered to be some of the finest in the world, and under his direction, earned many Grammy's and international acclaim.

Songlist: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, Angels We Have Heard on High, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, How Unto Bethlehem?, The Boar's Head Carol, O Tannenbaum, Masters in This Hall, My Dancing Day, Away in a Manger, Good Christian Men, Rejoice, The Holly and the Ivy, Good King Wenceslas, Wassail Song, Bring a Torch, Jeannete, Isabella, Fum, Fum, Fum, Mary Had a Baby, Hacia Belen va un borrico, Christ Was Born on Christmas Day, March of the Kings, Coventry Carol, Deck the Halls, The Cherry Tree Carol, We Three Kings of Orient Are, Touro-louro-louro!, So Blest a Sight, I Saw Three Ships, What Child Is This?, Susanni, In the Bleak Midwinter

Review: The remastered A Festival of Carols by the Robert Shaw Chorale and Orchestra, originally recorded in 1957 and 1963, is a timeless classic. It includes four of Robert Russell Bennett's medleys and beautiful a cappella versions of holiday favorites many of which are by Robert Shaw and Alice Parker. Selections include, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," "My Dancing Day" and "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming." This CD will keep your spirits up all season long.

Songlist: Medley - Good Christian Men, Rejoice; Silent Night; Patapan; O Come, All Ye Faithful, It Came Upon The Midnight Clear, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, Shepard's Carol, Go, Tell It On The Mountain, Medley - O Sanctissima; Joy To The World; Away In A Manger; Fum, Fum, Fum; March Of The Kings, I Wonder As I Wander, We Three Kings, My Dancing Day, Medley - What Child Is This?; Hark! The Herald Angles Sing; Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella; Angles We Have Heard On High, Coventry Carol, God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen, Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming, Carol Of The Bells, Medley - Break Forth, O Beauteous Heaventy Light; The First Nowell; O Little Town Of Bethlehem; I Saw Three Ships; Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly

Review: We hardly need to mention Robert Shaw's credentials as a group leader and director of the Fred Waring Glee Club, the RS Festival Singers, RS Chorale and RS Chamber Singers, his Grammys and ASCAPS and his 50-plus year legendary career in music. This is a digitally remastered reissue of a classic lp of one of some of the most beloved music of all time, the Great Choruses from Handel's Messiah. The piece is given to us in 17 parts, from "And the Glory of the Lord" and the famous "For Unto Us a Child Is Born" to "Their Sound Is Gone Out Into All Lands," "Hallelujah" and finishing with "Worthy Is The Lamb That Was Slain." Of course this CD is orchestrally accompanied, with harpsichord and organ, throughout. As with all the CDs associated with Robert Shaw that we carry in our catalog, "Great Choruses" is a powerful, wonderfully performed work of art!

Songlist: And the Glory of the Lord, And He Shall Purify, For Unto Us A Child Is Born, Glory to God, His Yoke Is Easy, Behold the Lamb of God, Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs, And with His Stripes We Are Healed, All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray, He Trusted in God, Lift Up Your Heads, Oh Ye Gates, Let All the Angels of God Worship Him, The Lord Gave the Word, Their Sound Is Gone Out Into All Lands, Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder, Hallelujah, Since by Man Came Death, O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?, But Thanks Be to God, Worthy Is the Lamb That Was Slain

Review: The legendary Robert Shaw conducts sacred songs on this remastered recording from 1964. The Robert Shaw Chorale with orchestra and organ sing such selections as the triumphant "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," the spiritual "Were You There?," arranged by Alice Parker and both the Shubert and Bach-Gounod "Ave Maria." The orchestral arrangements were done by Robert Russell Bennett. This is a classic!

Songlist: A Mighty Fortress is Our God, Ave Maria, The Lost Chord, Panis Angelicus, Nearer, My God, To Thee, The Holy City, Ave Maria, Kol Nidre, Were You There?, Sleepers, Wake

Review: A "Greatest Hits" collection of some of the Chorus's most popular pieces.

Songlist: Hallelujah, Ave Verum Corpus, Kyrie Eleison, The Shepherds, Lift Thine Eyes to the Mountains, Dona Nobis Pacem, Hallelujah, Sanctus, Bogoroditse Devo, Wie Lieblich Sind Deine Wohnungen, The Heavens Are Telling, Rex Tremendae

Review: The late Robert Shaw, who died in January 1999, had a long and fruitful relationship with Telarc, spanning twenty years and producing 41 recordings, eleven of which have won Grammy Awards. The current recording is the final one to be made by the conductor. Included on the second disc is a spoken interview of Shaw made by National Public Radio's Martin Goldsmith, host of "Performance Today." The interview was made in November 1998, just after the recording sessions for the Dvorak Stabat Mater, and features Shaw discussing his career, this work, and the state of the choral art. Portions of the interview were originally broadcast over NPR on April 2, 1999. The Stabat Mater was written by Dvorak in direct response to personal and private grief when he began the work, in 1876, he and his wife had recently lost a baby daughter, who had lived only two days. Other work intervened requiring the composer to set the Stabat Mater aside, but he soon resumed it in 1877 after losing two more children in quick succession-a baby daughter to accidental poisoning, and his three-year-old son to smallpox. The work was premiered in Prague in 1880, by which time Dvorak had risen from obscurity and poverty to become an internationally known composer. In 1883, the London premiere of the Stabat Mater met with such success that Dvorak was invited to come to England to conduct the work. He did so, conducting an enormous orchestra and chorus in the Royal Albert Hall in 1884.

Songlist: Stabat Mater Dolorosa, Quis est homo, qui non fleret, Eja, Mater, Fons amoris, Fac, ut ardeat cor meum, Tui Nati vulernati, Fac me vere tecum flere, Virgo virginum praeclara, Fac, ut portem Christi mortem, Inflammatus et accensus, Quando corpus morietur, Robert Shaw Discusses Dvorak's Stabat Mater with Martin Goldsmith

Review: Since his death in 1999, Robert Shaw continues to be revered by American choral directors and music lovers, and his recorded interpretations are regarded as the gold standard among all those available. His numerous Grammy Awards attest to the regard in which he was held by his fellow musicians. This collection of seventeen choral selections are in recognition of Shaw's stellar body of work and were recorded during his last decade. These tracks are considered the best of the best, exquisite examples of the deep spiritual rapport Shaw achieved with unaccompanied choruses. One piece, the Verdi "Ave Maria," is performed by his 200-voice Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus in one of their rare opportunities to engage in a cappella singing. The remaining sixteen tracks were recorded by the smaller ensembles he formed in his final years-the Robert Shaw Festival Singers, who performed and recorded at his summer choral festivals in the south of France, and the Robert Shaw Chamber Singers, which brought together the best of his Atlanta voices for concerts and recordings during the winter months.

Songlist: O Vos Omnes, A New Commandment, Vinea Mea Electa, Videntes Stellam, Dieu! Quil La Fait Bon Regarder!, Waldesnacht, Abendstandchen, Heavenly Light, Svete Tikhyi, Vzbrannoy Boyevode, Ride On, King Jesus, Sometimes I Feel Like A Moaning Dove, Same Train, In A Garden Shady, Ave Maria, Magnificat, Kyrie

Review: The great contribution of Robert Shaw to choral music has brought the listener to expect that nearly any recording or live performance under Shaw's direction will be thoroughly stunning, refreshing and performed with remarkable musical insight. On Appear and Inspire, Robert Shaw and the Robert Shaw Festival Singers give exactly this kind of performance of Argento's "I Hate and I Love", Debussy's "Trois Chansons", Poulenc's "Un Soir de Neige", Badings "Trois Chansons Bretonnes", Britten's "Hymn to St. Cecilia" and Ravel's "Trois Chansons."

Songlist: Hymn To St. Cecilia, Op. 27, Hymn To St. Cecilia, Op. 27, Hymn To St. Cecilia, Op. 27, Dieu! Qu'il La Fait Bon Regarder!, Quant J'ai Ouy Le Tabourin, Yver, Vous N'estes Qu'un Villain, Nicolette, Trois Beaux Oiseaux Du Paradis, Ronde, Un Soir De Neige, La Nuit En Mer, La Complainte Des Ames, Soir D'ete, I Hate And I Love

Review: This CD is a newly recorded collection of the most accessible, spiritually enlightening, and uplifting music of our time -- brilliantly interpreted by Robert Shaw and the Robert Shaw Festival Singers. It features Barber's Agnus Dei, a vocal arrangement by the composer of the hauntingly beautiful Adagio For Strings. 

Songlist: Totus Tuus, Op. 60, Magnificat, I. Kyrie, II. Gloria, III. Credo, IV. Sanctus, Agnus Dei, Agnus Dei, Friede Auf Erden

Review: The final years of Robert Shaw's life saw a return to his devotion to unaccompanied vocal music. Many will remember the Robert Shaw Chorale which was so popular in the 1950s and into the '60s. For two decades ending with his official retirement in 1989, Robert Shaw was the conductor and music director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. During that period most of his choral work was for orchestra and chorus. Yet even before his retirement he had established the Robert Shaw Choral Institute which devoted it's efforts to furthering choral arts through conductor training, workshops and performances. Through the establishment of its summer festivals beginning in 1989, participants who were selected by audition came to the Quercy district of south-central France for two weeks of instruction and intensive rehearsal, culminating in a week of performances in the wonderful medieval churches of the region. Many of the recordings on this release were obtained by Telarc during the momentary summer existence of the Robert Shaw Festival Singers. In the winters Robert Shaw created the Chamber Singers to further the practice of choral music. From both these groups has been assembled a group of recordings which reflect the deeply spiritual nature of the founder. Several of them have never been released before. You will find classical works by Tallis, Poulenc, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, and others in addition to several gospels sung by some of the most beautiful voices of the time. This is glorious full choral splendor!

Songlist: If Ye Love Me, A New Commandment, O Vos Omnes, O Magnum Mysterium, O Magnum Mysterium, O Magnum Mysterium, Praise The Name of The Lord, Der Entfernten, American Hymns and Spirituals : Wondrous Love, Amazing Grace, Sometimes I feel Like a Moanin' Dove, Totus Tuus, OP. 60

Review: Vespers is a musical setting for a night-long service celebrated in Russian monasteries and Russian orthodox churches. Written at the height of Rachmaninoff's compositional powers, the Vespers setting is considered to be the finest of his sacred works. This lush and beautiful composition for unaccompanied voices, in an eloquent performance by Robert Shaw and his talented festival chorus, is captured dramatically by Telarc in the spacious acoustic of the Church of St. Pierre, Gramat, France. This recording won a Grammy award in 1990.

Songlist: Priidite, Poklonimsya-Come, Let Us Worship, Blagoslovi, Dushe Moya-Bless The Lord, O My soul, Blazhen Muzh-Blessed Be The Man, Svete Tikhyi-O Serene Light, Nyne Otpushchayeshi-Now Let Thy Servant Depart, Bogoroditsye Devo, Raduisya-Rejoice O Virgin, Slava V Vyshnikh Bogu-Glory To God In The Highest, Khvalite Imya Gospondene-Praise The Name Of The Lord, Blagosloven Yesi, Gospodi-Blessed Art Thou, O Lord, Voskreseniye Khristove Videvshe-Having Seen the Resurrection Of The Lord, Velichit Dusha Moya Gospoda-My Soul Magnifies The Lord, Slava V Vyshnikh Bogu-Glory To God In The Highest, Dnes Spaseniye Miru Byst-Troparia Of The Day Of Salvation, Voskres Iz Groba-Christ Is Risen From The Grave-Troparia Of The Resurrection, Vzbrannoy Voyevode-Thanksgiving To The Mother Of God

Review: Barber's Prayers of Kierkegaard was commissioned by the Koussevitsky Foundation in 1942, but the composer did not complete the work until January, 1954. It is a setting, in the form of a single-movement cantata, of four prayers by the Danish theologian and philosopher Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855). Robert Shaw gave the American premiere of Bartok's Cantata Profana at Carnegie Hall in 1952. For this recording, he has used a refined version of the English translation of the text he made for that premiere performance. Vaughan Williams's Dona Nobis Pacem was intended as a warning of the threat of war in Europe in the mid-1930s. The texts are taken from the poetry of Walt Whitman, the Bible, the Latin Mass, and from a speech made in the British House of Commons during the Crimean War in the 1850s by John Bright.

Songlist: O Thou Who Art Unchangeable, Lord Jesus Christ, Who Suffered All Life Long, Father In Heaven, Well We Know That It Is Thou, Father In Heaven! Hold Not Our Sins Up Against Us, Part I, Part II, Part III, Agnus Dei, Beat! Beat! Drums!, Reconciliation, Dirge For Two Veterans, Angel Of Death, O Man Greatly Beloved

Review: Few American Musicians have touched more people in more ways than Robert Shaw. In Dear People, Joseph Mussulman deftly places Shaw and his career against the backdrop of developments in American musical history since the 1940s. What emerges most powerfully is the character of Shaw himself. Dear People Chronicles the career of a remarkable man and a gifted musician, whose foremost conviction is that "to be an artist is not the privilege of a few but the necessity of us all."

Songlist: Dear People..., The Fred Waring Glee Club, The Collegiate Chorale: "A Melting Pot That Sings", Choral Renaissance in America, The White-hot Years, The Robert Shaw Chorale, Back to California, Cleveland's Orchestra and Chorus, The RSC in Russia and South America, Recordings and Arrangements, Phoenix in Atlanta, Atlanta and the Cultural Explosion, The Second Battle of Atlanta, "Our Yard of Space - in Our Inch of Time"

Review: Robert Shaw is considered to be the most influential choral conductor in American history. This is the first collection of his letters and notes about music ever published-at another time, it is the book Shaw would have written himself. The letters are an invigorating mix of music history and analysis, philosophy, inspiration, and practical advice. Shaw examines technique, but only as a means to an end- he moves beyond that, delving into the essence of what music is and what it has to say to us. The heart of the book is composed of Shaw's previously unpublished notes on fifteen major choral works, ranging from Bach's B Minor Mass to Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms. Often inspiring and sometimes hilarious, these writings reveal the full breadth of Shaw's knowledge, intensity, and humor.

Songlist: Organizing And Sustaining The Chorus, Thoughts On Music, Singing, Rehearsal, And Performance, Approach, Analysis, Preparation, Warm-Up, Rhythm and Tempo, Phrasing, Quiet Singing and Count-Singing, Enunciation, Language, Conducting The Masterpieces, Preaching The Gospel (Of The Arts), Celebrating The Rituals Of Life, Awards and Citations, Eulogies, Letters, Verse, Index

Review: An exciting collection of five classic spiritual settings which can be performed separately or together as a suite.

Songlist: I'm Goin' to Sing, Steal Away, I Got Shoes, Deep River, John Saw duh Numbuh

Review: Love songs sung by men's voices have a unique poignancy and charm. Robert Shaw's understanding of this style, and the kind of tone which these settings evoke, have made them much loved by singers and listeners. These selections may be performed separately or as a program suite.

Songlist: Loch Lomond, Green Grow The Rushes, O, Stodole Pumpa, Down By The Sally Gardens, Vive L'Amour

Review: Taken from the first arrangements on which Robert Shaw and Alice Parker collaborated, these titles were selected from hundreds of familiar and forgotten works for their musical and poetic excellence. The arrangements were made as simple as possible in order to let the words shine through the choral tone and texture while achieving variety from changes in voicing in a constant effort to reflect the most subtle articulations of the text. The earliest song in this collection is the ancient chant "Christ the Lord Hath Risen." Other familiar hymns come from the sacred tradition: "The Strife is O'er," and "O Sons and Daughters." The re-telling of the Easter story, and the joy of the Easter season, should shine forth through the singing of these songs. Listen, re-enact and give voice to the central mystery, in order that all who hear may join the celebration.

Songlist: This Joyful Eastertide, Christ The Lord Hath Risen, Hilariter, Lord Christ, When First Thou Cam'st To Men, Love Is Come Again, O Sons And Daughters, On Easter's Morn, The Strife Is O're, Easter Eggs

Review: This invaluable collection contains 21 hymns, folk hymns, carols, and spirituals -- all set by the renowned talents of Alice Parker and Robert Shaw. The collection serves as a brief history of sacred song, beginning with early hymns of the church and culminating with spirituals from the New World.

Songlist: A Mighty Fortress, All Hail The Power, All People That On Earth Do Dwell, Angels We Have Heard on High, Bright Canaan, Broad is the Road, Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken, His Voice as the Sound, How Far is it to Bethlehem?, I'm Goin' to Sing, I Will Arise, Now Thank We All Our God, Now the Day is Over, O Come O Come Emmanuel, Pensive Dove, Prayer of Thanksgiving, Psalm 4, Ride On, King Jesus, Rise Up, O Men of God, When Jesus Wept, Worthy the Lamb

Review: Twenty-four carols arranged by the eminent choral director Robert Shaw and the respected Alice Parker. Shaw-Parker arrangements are famous and recorded by everyone, including Shaw's various ensembles. Described as a mixed voice collection, these twenty-four carols have varying voicings, with frequent solo opportunities. There are also a few tenor/bass charts. Most have piano for rehearsal.

Songlist: Allon, Gay Bergeres, Les Angeles Dans Nos Campagnes (Angels We Have Heard On High) 3. The Boar's Head Carol (TTBB), Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light, The Carol Of The Birds, The Cherry Tree Carol, Christ Was Born On Christmas Day, Fum, Fum, Fum, Good Christian Men Rejoice, Good King Wenceslas, Here Mid The Ass and The Oxen, The Holly And The Ivy, How Unto Bethlehem, I Saw Three Ships, Il Est Ne, Le Divin Enfant, In The Bleak Midwinter, Lay Down Your Staffs, Masters In This Hall, O Sanctissima, So Blest A Sight, Susanni, Touro-louro-loura, What Child Is This?, Ya Viene La Vieja

Review: This book includes all arrangements from the fourth suite, with piano accompaniment, featured on CD with the same title, performed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Robert Shaw.

Songlist: Breakforth, O Beautious Heavenly Light, O Little Of Bethlehem, I Saw Three Ships, Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly, The First Nowell

Review: This book includes all arrangements from the first suite, with piano accompaniment, featured on CD with the same title, performed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Robert Shaw.

Songlist: Good Christian Men Rejoice, Silent Night, Patapan, O Come, All Ye Faithful

Review: This book includes all arrangements from the third suite, with piano accompaniment, featured on CD with the same title, performed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Robert Shaw.

Songlist: What Child Is This?, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella, Angels We Have Heard On High

Review: This book includes all arrangements from the second suite, with piano accompaniment, featured on CD with the same title, performed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Robert Shaw.

Songlist: O Sanctissima, Joy To The World, Away In A Manger, Fum Fum Fum, March Of The Kings