When Mary Martin debuted in Rodgers and Hammerstein's hugely popular "The Sound of Music" in 1959, the play's subjects, the Von Trapp Family, had recently concluded their successful music career. Touring the world for 20 years, they brought a unique mixture of liturgical music, madrigals, folk music and instrumentals to audiences in over 30 countries. Loosely based on the life story of Captain Georg von Trapp, his second wife Maria, and his 7 children by his first wife, Agathe. The music of the play was quite different from the music performed by the Trapps in thousands of live performances, but fortunately they recorded hundreds of choral and instrumental works with RCA and Decca. One Voice is the first definitive compilation, a two-CD set of 36 songs apiece, of the choir's musical history, from 1935 to 1956. A few of our many favorites are German Folk songs "In Stiller Nacht," "Song of Parting," "Muss I'Denn" and "Jagerlied," Australian Folk song "Waltzing Matilda;" Maori Folk song "Pokare Kareana;" Austrian Folk songs "Der Gru" (The Cricket) and "Die Hoch Alma" (The Highest Mountains); Spanish Folk song "Pastores A Belen;" Christmas and religious tunes "Carol of the Drum," "Angels We Have Heard on High," Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," Humperdinck's "Evening Prayer," Palestrina's "O Bone Jesu" and many, many others. A wonderfully sung collection that touches and entertains! |
