November 16, 2016

  • Choral Music from South Dakota

     

    Let Me Fly
    University of South Dakota Chamber Singers/David Holdhusen
    Navona Records 6060
    Total Time:  69:46
    Recording:   ****/****
    Performance: ****/****

    The Midwest Choral tradition tends to be most apparent around Christmas time with broadcasts from some of the big private schools of St. Olaf and Luther, but choral music thrives throughout the upper Midwest and the present recording takes us to Vermillion, South Dakota, for a series of recordings made with the University’s Chamber Singers with their director David Holdhusen.  Recordings were taken from the March programs of the ensemble over the last three years.  The pieces reflect a variety of folk songs and spirituals intermingled with modern American choral music making for a rather intriguing collection.

    Some of the arrangements here are fairly classic, or popular, versions that most students of choral music will have come across at some point or another.  There is James Erb’s setting of “Shenandoah”, Norman Luboff’s “Dixie”, and Stacey Gibbs “Go, Tell It On the Mountain.”  There are a host of religious hymnody settings including “O Day Full of Grace” arranged by F. Melius Christiansen; “Abide With Me” arranged by Lucy Hirt; and “Look What Dey Doin’ to Jesus” by Richard Jackson to mention a few.

    Three new works by composer Jonny Priano are interspersed on the album along with music by Jocelyn Hagen, Stephen Chatman, and even an arrangement by Ward Swingle of “Country Dances” which makes for a fun conclusion.  Robert Cormier’s arrangement “Let Me Fly” is the inspiration for the releases title.

    The recordings here are made across three years.  The sound has a warm quality to the choirs.  Holdhusen has also managed to create an equally strong ensemble that blends well consistently even with slight personnel changes.  Overall this is an interesting disc of choral music that should be welcome repertoire for those who have ever sung in a choir such as this.