Kirke Mechem is a prolific American composer with a catalogue of over 250 works. He enjoys an international presence, as ASCAP recently registered concert performances of his music in 42 countries. This is a collection of his works for unaccompanied chorus. From Psalm 137, "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion," this a cappella motet is filled with longing and deep emotion. "Agnus De" is a stunningly beautiful new setting of the Latin text, this work is vocally expressive and immensely rewarding in performance. The old American folksong "Too Young To Marry" provides the text for this setting. The composer has adapted into an original madrigal, using fa-la-la refrains to replace the traditional nonsense syllables. "They That Mourn" forms a requiem in miniature, with varied vocal textures and harmonies and dynamic contrasts. This setting is new music to the words of an old spiritual "Kum Ba Ya". Believed to come from the Gullah language of the South Carolina sea islands, this setting explores the rhythmic possibilities of the words and the striking musical qualities of the consonants and vowels. |
