With an international reputation for excellence going back to its founding in 1937 by Carl O. Thompson, and now under the direction of Dr. P. Bradley Logan, the mixed-voice Choir, Chamber Singers and all-male MusiKanten bring us a rich and varied collection on "Awakening." The Bemidji Choir begins with 7 a cappella religious songs, Gerald Finzi's "My Spirit Sang All Day," Wm. Byrd's "Cantate Domino," Alexander Gretchaninoff's soaring "Our Father," Michael Rue's "Go Lovely Rose," Frank Ticheli's "There Will Be Rest," Brahms' "Schaffe in mir, Gott (Psalm 51)" and "Something Has Spoken to me in The Night." Three dramatic "Shakespeare Songs" by Ralph Vaughan Williams follow, Marie Pooler's lovely "Still With Thee," Joshua Nice's "Words of Love," Joseph Martin's title tune and the rousing spiritual "Daniel, Daniel, Servant of the Lord." The men's chorus MusiKanten gives us a spirited, richly-harmonied a cappella "Drunken Sailor," and then are four pieces from the Chamber Singers, including Jan Sweelinck's beautiful "Chantez a Dieu nouvelle (Psalm 96)," Monteverdi's "Ah Dolente Partita," John Farmer's "Fair Phyllis I Saw," and Thomas Morley's "I Love, Alas, I Love Thee." "Awakening" shows off the rich a cappella vocal talents of these three veteran, well-directed ensembles, and it is a joy to listen to throughout! |
