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Choral or Classical Vocal Recordings - Must Have

In the last six year I have opened my ears to choral music and classical vocal recordings. I would appreciate hearing what your Must Have list is, so that I can discover more wonderful music that maybe I haven't yet heard.

My list is in random order and is as follows:

-Magnificat by John Rutter - COLCD 114
-Lux Aeterna by Morten Lauridsen, Los Angeles Master Chorale - RCM 19705
-Let Your Voice Be Heard - Cantus - CTS 1201
-Olde English Madrigals and Folk Songs at Ely Catedral, Rutter and the Cambridge Singers - AG500-2
-Vepres by Rachmaninov - The Choral Arts Society of Washington - ERATO 2292-45269-2
-La Belle Epoque, The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn - Susan Graham - Sony SK60168
-O Magnum Mysterium by Morten Lauridsen - Nordic Chamber Choir - BR 100 305 CD
-Requiem by Faure - John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers - COLCD 109
-Renee Fleming - Renee Fleming - DECCA 289467049-2
-Litany, Arvo Part - The Hilliard Ensemble - ECM 1592
-Vivaldi Gloria - Robert Shaw Chorus (Dawn Upshaw in this) -Telarc CD-80194
Gloria by John Rutter - The Cambridge Singers - COLCD 100

I could list others but this is the core of my collection which I never tire of. What's yours?
128x128jcbach
vvrinc
323 posts
 
"Montserrat Caballé sings Puccini arias."
EMI CD or LP.

Trust me...you'll wet your pants!
vvrinc
323 posts
 
A choral work that would have your stereo gear hopping and also give you a thrill is Prokofiev's cantata, "Alexander Nevsky." It was composed for the Eisenstein film of the same name.

If possible, try to pick up a copy of a Russian chorus singing it. There is nothing quite like hearing the unique sound of Russian voices singing the Russian language. Valerie Gergiev and the Kirov orchestra and chorus, joined by contralto, Olga Borodina, released a recording of it on Philips about a year ago. There is also the old Reiner/Chicago recording which is damn good.

You won't need a diaper for this one but your speakers may need oxygen after "The Battle on the Ice" movement.

Best regards.
tmm3088758f
1 posts
 
There are only a few composers whose works can't only be called "magnificent", "inspired" or "heavenly"...oh, yes, there is almost all of Rachmaninoff, the "Four Last Songs" of Richard Strauss, sung by the brilliant Renee Fleming, Cristoph Eschenbach and the Houston Symphony Orchestra (you'll need a diaper for THAT one, for sure--it should be illegal, it is so hedonstic, memorable...).

But what I will search for until the day I die is Regine Crespin singing the Poulenc Gloria with the Robert Shaw Chorale...I first heard this in the seventies, on vinyl (remember "vinyl"?), and it made me the ultimate Poulenc fan. Please, please, if anyone has any info on any recording of this piece...let me know, please--I guess I'd even take an old vinly copy, but if I could only find it on cd...hell, I'd take a cassete copy, if I had to. This is one of those pieces that, tragically (yeah, I'm dramatic, but then, so was Francis Poulenc) has not been transferred to disc. PLEASE, music fans, help me with this. I will kiss your feet (if they don't stink)if you can give me some information on this.

Thank you,
Tom Murphy
Seattle, 206-860-3534
rcprince
3,061 posts
 
Please keep away from my smelly feet for this! Not too much help, but Shaw and his Chorale recorded for RCA in the old days, so you might start there. I just finished a concert recently where we sang that piece, and have sung it before, and have always been haunted by the soprano solos in it, which are just beautiful. Rushton's suggestion above is a good alternative for you if you can't find your favorite.

You might want to add the discs by the Voices of Ascension on Delos to your lists, particularly their Durufle album. I've heard them in concert (and, sadly, at funerals for some of my former partners) on a number of occasions, and they sing with a straight tone which is not easy but when done right, as they do it, is extraodinary on some pieces, particularly the Durufle Requiem.
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