Reincarnations

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
This album is a celebration of The Dale Warland Singers' specialty - modern American works. The Dale Warland Singers are America's pre-eminent choral ensemble and winners of a 2003 Grammy nomination. This is their newest recording, released just after their final concert on May 30, 2004, signaling the retirement of their founder and director, Dale Warland. Featured are modern choral masterworks by Ives, Barber, Fine, Avshalomov, and Finney.

Based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, The Dale Warland Singers are recognized as one of the world's foremost a cappella choral ensembles. This 40-voice professional choir is currently celebrating its 31st and final season of concerts, tours, radio broadcasts, and critically acclaimed recordings. In 1992, The Dale Warland Singers became the first-ever recipient of ASCAP's Margaret Hillis Achievement Award for Choral Excellence. The ensemble has also appeared on Garrison Keillor's original A Prairie Home Companion show and performed regularly on Public Radio International's Saint Paul Sunday. Its annual Echoes of Christmas and Cathedral Classics broadcasts reach listeners nationwide.

The Dale Warland Singers have commissioned and performed an astounding 270 works in 31 years - more new choral music, in fact, than any other classical music organization in the country. In total, more than 150 notable composers have worked with The Dale Warland Singers. In this final season alone, The Dale Warland Singers premiered 16 new works by 14 American composers.

The booklet contains extensive notes on The Dale Warland Singers and their music.

Tracks:

At The Earth's Imagined Corners
L'Invitation au Voyage
The Passionate Shepherd To His Love
The Roadside Fire
A Red, Red Rose
Reincarnations, Op. 16: 1. Mary Hynes
Reincarnations, Op. 16: 2. Anthony O Daly
Reincarnations, Op. 16: 3. The Coolin (The Fair Haired One )
Fern Hill
Shenandoah
Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier
Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye
I'm Goin' Away
Deep River

Amazon.com

Several world premieres highlight this disc from the outstanding Kansas City Chorale, including the title work and a setting of "L'Invitation au Voyage", both by John Corigliano. While these, unfortunately, are uninspiring original works by Jean Belmont and James Mulholland, settings of "Shenandoah" by Conrad Susa and "Deep River" by Roy Ringwald are excellent. Unexcelled performances of Barber's "Reincarnations" round out the program. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Disapointing.......2004-03-17

Uninspired singing, poor recording quality, lack of precision and cohesiveness. Great potential with professional choir, but a disappointing result.

No reservations on this one.......2002-06-04

Never mind the few gripes of the Amazon reviewer. What he decries as "unoriginal" settings by Belmont and Mulholland are wonderful settings by composers who have clearly mastered the art of choral arrangement and composition. Their rich harmonies are colored with wonderfully expressive dissonances which tense and then resolve into lush consonances, but never does the harmony become ponderous or leaden. 'The Passionate Shepherd', 'The Roadside Fire' are totally satisfying, far more so than many more 'original' works which place their originality above emotional expression. 'A Red, Red Rose' is the most beautiful setting of the poem I've ever encountered.
I concur with the reviewer on the rest of the disc. Splendid singing and musical interpretation. I lost my copy of this disc and I am pining for it, so I've come back to buy another. It's that good.

Fantastic blend of voices and styles. A must get!.......1999-03-12

This recording of the Kansas City Chorale is a wonderful collection of American songs ranging from 20th century Barber to spiritual arrangements that are superbly sung. I have sung many of these songs myself, and will heartily recommend this CD to anyone looking for a choir with tremendous expression, musicality, and tone. This CD has a variety of music that music teachers can use to preview pieces for use in their choirs. It isn't often that you can find an album that has such a combination of styles, and it is refreshing to listen to. If nothing else, purchase this CD for the title piece Fern Hill

Fantastic blend of voices and styles. A must get!.......1999-03-12

This recording of the Kansas City Chorale is a wonderful collection of American songs ranging from 20th century Britten to spiritual arrangements that are superbly sung. I have sung many of these songs myself, and will heartily recommend this CD to anyone looking for a choir with tremendous expression, musicality, and tone. This CD has a variety of music that music teachers can use to preview pieces for use in their choirs. It isn't often that you can find an album that has such a combination of styles, and it is refreshing to listen to. If nothing else, purchase this CD for the title piece Fern Hill.

Choral Music of Twentieth Century Americans

Average customer rating:

Choral Music of Twentieth Century Americans

Manufacturer: Cambria Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music

Wedding Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst and other choral works

ASIN: B000003XOI
Release Date: 1993-08-23

Average customer rating:

Bliss

Samuel Barber: Choral and Organ Works

Manufacturer: Guild
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Samuel Barber: Capricorn Concerto; A Hand of Bridge; Intermezzo from Vanessa
Samuel Barber: The Lovers; Prayers of Kierkegaard

ASIN: B00002698D
Release Date: 2000-08-18

Tracks:

Reincarnations: Mary Hynes
Reincarnations: Anthony O Daly
Reincarnations: The Coolin
Under The Willow Tree
The Virgin Martyrs
A Stopwatch And An Ordnance Map
Reincarnations: Agnus Dei
Two Choruses From Antony And Cleopatra: On The Death Of Antony
Two Choruses From Antony And Cleopatra: On The Death Of Cleopatra
Twelfth Night
The Monk And His Cat
Sure On This Shining Night
Heaven-Haven
Let Down The Bars, O Death
To Be Sung On The Water
Choral Prelude On Silent Night
Wondrous Love
Happy Birthday

Customer Reviews:

Bliss.......2002-11-29

This is the best album I have ever heard. I have sung several of Barbers choral works and rapture still fills me when I hear these works. The lyrics parity all I have said about the composition. If you are in doubt, just listen to a single track.

Average customer rating:

A definite for choral conductors.

Reincarnations

Manufacturer: Gothic Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Partsongs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music
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Harvest Home
Dominick Argento: Walden Pond
Cathedral Classics
Blue Wheat
A Rose in Winter

ASIN: B0002T2QKG
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Tracks:

O Know To End As To Begin
Have You Seen The White Lily Grow
O Do Not Wanton With Those Eyes
Agaist Jealousy
Lament
The Hour Glass
Tom O'Bedlam
Mary Hynes
Anthony O Daly
The Coolin (The Faired One)
When Again All These Rare Perfections Meet
When Again All These Rare Perfections Meet
His Body Was An Orb
On A Round Ball
Nor Doe I Doubt
See How The Arched Earth
Psalm 90

Album Description

This album is a celebration of The Dale Warland Singers' specialty - modern American works. The Dale Warland Singers are America's pre-eminent choral ensemble and winners of a 2003 Grammy nomination. This is their newest recording, released just after their final concert on May 30, 2004, signaling the retirement of their founder and director, Dale Warland. Featured are modern choral masterworks by Ives, Barber, Fine, Avshalomov, and Finney.

The booklet contains extensive notes on The Dale Warland Singers and their music.

Customer Reviews:

A definite for choral conductors........2005-09-26

I would not recommend this CD for people who are new to choral music, but it is definitely a valuable addition to the collection of any professional in the choral field. The performances as well as the recording quality are every bit what one would expect from this extraordinary ensemble. The major highlights on this recording, to me, are the Barber pieces and the Ives.

Samuel Barber, William Schuman: Choral Music

Average customer rating:

The most beautiful choral group I have ever heard.

Samuel Barber, William Schuman: Choral Music

Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Oratio: 20th Century Sacred Music
Barber: Prayers of Kierkegaard/Bartok: Cantata profanna/Vaughan Williams: Dona nobis pacem
Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst and other choral works
Requiem & Magnificat/Rutter, Cambridge Singers

ASIN: B0000030VY
Release Date: 1996-08-20

Tracks:

Twelfth Night
To Be Sung On The Water
Reincarnations: I) Mary Hynes
Reincarnations: II) Anthony O'Daly
Reincarnations: III) The Coolin'
Agnus Dei
Heaven-Haven
Sure On This Shining Night
The Monk And His Cat
The Virgin Martyrs
Let Down The Bars, O Death
God's Grandeur
Perceptions: I) Thought
Perceptions: II) Beautiful Women
Perceptions: III) To Old Age
Perceptions: IV) Each Of Us
Perceptions: V) To The States
Perceptions: VI) A Farm Picture
Perceptions: VII) Whoever You Are
Perceptions: VIII) To You
Mail Order Madrigals: I) Attention, Ladies!
Mail Order Madrigals: II) Superfluous Hair
Mail Order Madrigals: III) Sweet Refreshing Sleep
Mail Order Madrigals: IV) Dr. Worden's Pills

Customer Reviews:

The most beautiful choral group I have ever heard........1999-04-01

Samual Barber wrote some of the most plaintive music ever and this incredible group exploits that talent to it's most beautiful potential. Just an incredibly beautiful sound that gets inside your head and haunts you with beautiful harmony and classically exquisite articulation.

Come to Me: Love Songs for Chorus by American Composers

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Come to Me: Love Songs for Chorus by American Composers

Manufacturer: Arsis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000YTPMA
Release Date: 2003-12-30

Average customer rating:

"Come with me, under my coat"
Exceptional tone and quality
Exceptional tone and quality
Exceptional tone and quality

Voices 1900/2000

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music
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Make His Praise Glorious
Eric Whitacre: The Complete A Cappella Works, 1991-2001
Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst and other choral works
Blue Wheat
Morten Lauridsen: Nocturnes

ASIN: B00005B16W
Release Date: 2001-04-03

Tracks:

Song For Athene (Alleluia)
Reggel (Morning)
Dieu! Qu'il La Fait Bon Regarder
La Nuit En Mer
Bois Meurtri...
Ite Missa Est
Alleluia
Simple Gifts
How The Soul Speaks To God
Winds Of May
O Love, Be Fed With Apples While You May
The Coolin (The Fair Haired One)
Earth Seen From Above
Other Worlds Revealed
Hark, I Hear The Harps Eternal
Shenandoah - Steven Rogino
All The Things You Are
Make Our Garden Grow

Customer Reviews:

"Come with me, under my coat".......2002-12-31

"And we will drink our fill..."

These are the first two strophes of Samuel Barber's "The Coolin," one of the three songs in his choral song cycle "Reincarnations." A friend recommended that I listen to this song, someone who had fond memories of singing it but who had yet to hear a satisfactory recording of the work. Given the enthusiasm, even exuberence, that she displayed regarding the singing, I thought it important enough - and only fair - that I seek out the best possible performance of the work. So I ended up acquiring three CD's, all containing "The Coolin" (and two containing the full set of "Reincarnations" songs). Having listened now to all three, it is easy for me to state that this CD contains the hands-down winner. And to further add that the other two Barber songs in the cycle really don't measure up to this one, so the absence of them on this release is no great loss to me.

Set to a love poem by the early-20th century Irish poet James Stephens, "coolin" is a lock of hair (or "curleen") that grows on a young girl's neck, an expression seemingly equivalent to "sweetheart." Stephens goes on to say, "I sought to represent that state which is almost entirely a condition of dream wherein the passion of love has almost overreached itself and is sinking to a motionless languor." Barber's beautiful setting of the poem reflects that aim totally, and the singing of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra Chorus captures the passionate languor perfectly.

The album - billed as "a choral journey through the twentieth century" and meant to spotlight the excellence of the chorus - is interesting both in terms of what it includes and what it overlooks, in terms of choral classics. The opening track contains a truly fine performance of John Tavener's "Song for Athene" (made famous as the recessional at Princess Diana's funeral although written some years earlier upon the death of a friend of Tavener). If you want a fine performance of this particular Tavener work but are not sure whether you want an album full of his works, look no further.

There are three songs in French (by Debussy, Badings - actually a Dutchman - and Poulenc). For me, the Badings song ("La nuit en Mer," from his "Three Breton Songs" of 1948) is one of the true "sleepers" in this album, a work I'd hardly expect to run across under normal circumstances and a beautful one at that.

Needless to say, there is a lot of "Americana" here as well, including an arrangement of Aaron Copland's harmonization of the Shaker hymn "Simple Gifts" for chorus and piano, an Alice Parker setting of "Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal" and a simply drop-dead-gorgeous setting of "Shenandoah" by J. Erb (no first name provided in the notes). Two fine inclusions are a wonderful setting of Jerome Kern's "All the Things You Are" (breathtaking in its harmonic daring) and the evergreen "Make Our Garden Grow" from Bernstein's "Candide" (the album "closer").

In addition to the Tavener work, the century's end is well-represented by Allen Jay Kernis ("How the Soul Speaks to God"), Morten Lauridsen ("O Love, Be Fed With Apples While You May" from his "Mid-Winter Songs") and Conrad Susa ("Winds of May" from his "Six Joyce Songs").

This is an eclectic collection, as individual for what it does NOT include as for what it does. For example, there is not a single song by Charles Ives (who wrote well over 150 of them, many of them beautiful), or by William Schuman (another prolific songwriter). England is represented only by Tavener, and therefore there are none of the fine songs written by John Rutter and Benjamin Britten. And there is nothing to represent 20th-century Scandanavia. (For example, though Einojuhani Rautavaara is mentioned in the booklet notes and has written many fine songs, none are included here.) Nevertheless, I hardly think that choral fans will be disappointed with the selection provided (chosen, I would guess, by both the chorus itself and by its conductor, Vance George).

Vance George certainly has the proper bona fides (mentoring under both Robert Shaw and Margaret Hillis, herself a Shaw acolyte), and he has developed the San Francisco Symphony Chorus to an enviable level (as can be demonstrated by the fine support they provide for a number of orchestral/choral works conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas). Clearly, this chorus must number among the top half-dozen currently supporting major orchestras in the U.S.

The recorded sound quality is mostly excellent, although a few of the tracks don't seem to be representative of the usual Delos mastery of capturing sound in difficult acoustical environments. But, then, Davies Hall (the home of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra) is quite well-known for its tricky acoustics.

The booklet notes - by Laura Stanfield Prichard - are good for what they are. The organization of the notes follows neither the strict chronology of the works nor the actual playing order. But the notes do a reasonable job of describing the works themselves, save for any mention whatsoever of Jerome Kern or of the arranger who provided the drop-dead-gorgeous setting of "All the Things You Are."

But, despite these nitpicking minor criticisms of mine, if you are - like me - a choral junkie, you'll want this album in your collecction. For all the good reasons I've highlighted above. And most especially for Sam Barber's "The Coolin."

Bob Zeidler

Exceptional tone and quality.......2001-06-05

Symphony choruses don't often get to shine outside the spotlight of the orchestras they're associated with, but this collection shows off the high level of quality that the SF Symphony Chorus brings to all their performances. I've never heard a better recording of the Alleluia, which many choruses attempt -- but few can pull off.

Exceptional tone and quality.......2001-06-05

Average customer rating:

Interesting Selections

American Journey

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Partsongs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music
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Shakespeare in Song [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B0000049NE
Release Date: 1995-08-10

Tracks:

Go Lovely Rose
Crossing The Bar
Reincarnations: Mary Hynes
Reincarnations: Anthony O Daly
Reincarnations: The Coolin
Slain Absalom: David Wept For Slain Absalom
Tarentella
Earth Songs: Sweet Spontaneous Earth
Earth Songs: In Just-Spring
Earth Songs: As Is The Marvelous Sea
Earth Songs: All In Green My Love Went Riding
Earth Songs: When God Lets My Body Be
Earth Songs: I Thank You God
Shakespeare Songs: Who Is Sylvia?
Take, O Take, These Lips Away
Shakespeare Songs: Tell Me Where Is Fancy Bred
Shakespeare Songs: It Was A Lover And His Lass
Shakespeare Songs: You Spotted Snakes
Shakespeare Songs: Sigh No More, Ladies
Shakespeare Songs: Oh Mistress Mine
The Chorale New Yorker: Hen Party
The Chorale New Yorker: Design For October
The 3-Way Canon Blues

Customer Reviews:

Interesting Selections.......2005-01-27

This is an excellect selection of a variety of American choral works. The performances are extremetly good and the music deserves much wider play.

Shenandoah: An American Chorister, 1890-1990 - Halsey Stevens: Campion Suite / Mechaem: Five Centureis of Spring / Samuel Barber: Heaven-Haven, Reincarnations Op. 16, Two Songs Op. 42 / MacDowell, Rutenberg, Traditional

Average customer rating:

Shenandoah: An American Chorister, 1890-1990 - Halsey Stevens: Campion Suite / Mechaem: Five Centureis of Spring / Samuel Barber: Heaven-Haven, Reincarnations Op. 16, Two Songs Op. 42 / MacDowell, Rutenberg, Traditional

Manufacturer: Klavier
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000003M5G
Release Date: 1995-08-10