In Paradisum: The Healing Power of Heaven
South Dakota Chorale/Brian A. Schmidt
Jesse Eschbach, organ.
Gothic 49279
Total Time: 55:11
Recording: ****/****
Performance: ****/****
You only need travel around the country a bit to know that the rich heritage of choral music tends to be at its height in the Midwest where it is not uncommon to hear any number of choirs large and small from any number of venues. The groups can be connected to colleges, churches, or in the case of the South Dakota Chorale, are a collection of professional singers that come together for a season of concerts. The present release In Paradisum is the debut of this ensemble based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a fact that most certainly is one of that city’s crowning arts organizations. The present release features a good mix of music to show off the ensemble in older music, spirituals, and an important recording of Durufle’s Requiem in its organ and choir version. To say the album is an impressive debut is an understatement.
The album opens with “Now the Powers of Heaven,” a work by Giuseppe Sari (1792-1802). In surveying musical history, one may read about the migration to the Russian court of many European composers but rarely hear the resulting music. Sari was an Italian that went to teach composition in Russia and became interested in the music of the Russian Orthodox Church. In the beautiful choral work on this recording, you can hear his combination of older, almost Renaissance or Early Baroque, musical language with gorgeous word painting. This brief piece might be worth checking out the album alone, but the best is yet to come.
At the center of the opening numbers are two spirituals and a traditional American folk song. The opening bars of “Run On,” representing the latter, is simply jaw dropping. The bass solos by Tom McNichols and Trevor Neal will give you goose bumps as this piece unfolds. One would also be hard pressed to find a better recording of “Deep River” in this classic arrangement by Norman Luboff. The sound is so rich and warmly nuanced that again you cannot help but listen in sheer wonder. The same can be said for Moses Hogan’s arrangement of “The Battle of Jericho” which features a scintillating soprano line at the
top of the register in what could be a controlled scream but here is simply the top of a continuously emotionally-charged performance.
Having thoroughly overwhelmed the listener with the opening of the program, the sheer beauty if Durufle’s Requiem becomes icing on the cake. Durufle’s work is one of those masterpieces of the 20th century that melds ancient chant-like vocal lines into wonderful harmonic moments throughout this piece. In this particular recording, focus on the choral writing is particularly pronounced with the organ providing the appropriate extra color to the voices. The acoustic of the First Congregational
Church in Sioux Falls, proves to be a perfect place to capture this music with an acoustic that is neither too dry or over ambient. The results are simply amazing in what is likely to be one of the best performances of this work one is likely to hear.
The organ here is a French-influenced Bedient renovation to a classic 1967 Reuter electric church organ resulting in a rather eclectic instrument. Jesse Eschbach, the organist for this recording, studied with Marie-Clair Alain and Marie-Madeleine Durufle
and proves to be an important collaborator bringing his knowledge of the music and the registration possibilities inherent in this instrument quite well.
The recording here is simply masterful. Gothic’s release is recorded in multi-channel SACD, though playable on any equipment. It is a demonstration class recording capturing the performance superbly. One would be hard pressed to
even find a seat in any venue that would give you the same sound, but if you are ever in Sioux Falls, you could certainly enjoy many concerts with this ensemble while you tried to find one!
In Paradisum is simply one of the finest recordings of choral music that is likely to appear this year. The repertoire itself would
recommend it to many fans of choral music, but there is such wonderful and well-shaped music here that it should bear up over time quite well. Highly Recommended!!!
Steven Kennedy
Posted 6/1/2012 12:32 PM
http://maestrosteve.xanga.com/763667889/review-fabulous-debut-of-sd-chorale/
http://www.southdakotachorale.com/content/recordings
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-paradisum-healing-power/id526128821
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