New Recordings

In order to weather the pandemic, the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus – one of America’s oldest independent choirs – created a series of presentations for its members & supporters, reminding them of its achievements and aspirations. These shows are now freely available on its YouTube channel , and feature between 10 and 20 different works. The first show traced the choir’s 65-year history, and featured music from its founder, Ronald Arnatt, masterworks from Brahms & Vaughan Williams, and premieres provided by Richard Rodney Bennett, Eriks Esenvalds & Sasha Johnson Manning. Of particular interest is a Tudor motet by John Sheppard reconstructed by the eminent musicologist, Craig Monson.

In order to weather the pandemic, the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus – one of America’s oldest independent choirs – created a series of presentations for its members & supporters, reminding them of its achievements and aspirations. These shows are now freely available on its YouTube channel , and feature between 10 and 20 different works. The first show traced the choir’s 65-year history, and featured music from its founder, Ronald Arnatt, masterworks from Brahms & Vaughan Williams, and premieres provided by Richard Rodney Bennett, Eriks Esenvalds & Sasha Johnson Manning. Of particular interest is a Tudor motet by John Sheppard reconstructed by the eminent musicologist, Craig Monson.

On Friday, June 18, October Project and Chorus Austin are proud to announce the release of the full album of THE BOOK OF ROUNDS! These “21 Songs of Grace” are written by Julie Flanders (lyrics), Emil Adler (music), and arranged by Keiji Ishiguri. Chorus Austin’s Chamber Ensemble is led by Ryan Heller, and special guests Marina Belica (lead singer of October Project), Mela Sarajane Dailey, soprano, and Jonathan Edward Christopher, baritone, appear on the recording. This original song cycle of 21 original rounds is offered to comfort, heal, and awaken listers as we emerge from the past year; it is an inspiring complete work that is also satisfying one song at a time.

Pre-orders, pre-saving, and more information can be found at: thebookofrounds.com

Swara Vocal Ensemble from Belgium, under the direction of Ivan Yohan, has just premiered a new concert recording that took place at the Church of Our Lady and St Peter in Ghent, Belgium.
The recording will stay for some time at Swara’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/3D7XiHWbXa4

Featuring works from Carlo Gesualdo, Cipriano de Rore, Sergio Rodríguez, Timo Tembuyser, Jan Moeyaert, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Judith Bingham, Charles V. Stanford, Gonçalo Lourenço and Ezra Permana Trisna.
Program pdf book can be downloaded at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xoCVKQUpuWWMDrHppNJtpn7Vw5ZGE67T/view?usp=sharing

To celebrate the arrival of Spring to Scotland, I have just received this wonderful recording of the Aberdeen Vocal Ensemble singing “Loch Lomond”: https://youtu.be/WocF8fBeoB4

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, I have just posted two new score videos with brand new recordings. These are two settings of the poem INVITATION TO LOVE by American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, one for unaccompanied mixed choir (SATB) and one for unison chorus or solo voice with piano accompaniment. The recordings were made by Matthew Curtis and Sarah Brailey of Choral Tracks, and they sound great! I hope you will enjoy them.

INVITATION TO LOVE for mixed choir:

INVTATION TO LOVE for solo voice or unison chorus with piano:

Sheet music for both versions is available from J. W. Pepper:
https://www.jwpepper.com/Invitation-to-Love/11337129.item

For more information, visit www.gregbartholomew.com/invitationindex.html

Greg Bartholomew