The St. Olaf Choir was formed in 1911 by Dr. F Melius Christiansen, a Norwegian immigrant. So began a tradition of a cappella choral singing that continues under the present direction of Anton Armstrong, himself an alumnus of St. Olaf College. Armstrong has incorporated compositions from other cultures, which comprise a good portion of this CD's content. The Latvian "Ai, Nama Mamina," South-African "Freedom Is Coming" and Chinese Folk Song, "Peng You," among others, offer fresh contrast. Several tracks have unassuming accompaniment, such as the flute on "Water Under Snow Is Weary." The arrangements are conventional in approach and seek to calm, rather than excite. The overall vocal timbre, while grounded in the Western classical tradition, retains a natural unstudied quality. |
