October 13, 2021
-
Contemporary Choral Releases
Choral music continues to be stretched to new limits and there are two releases that take quite different approaches to the textures and sounds that can be created with the human voice.
The more experimental of the two is Fall and Decline (Navona 6359), a five-movement work that explores human hubris, civilizational decline and possible hope by Gregory W. Brown. The texts are rather wide ranging from historical accounts as diverse as an ancient battle ("but after six years" to Edward Gibbon's The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Each text addresses a variety of ways time might carry on overcoming the ever-marching ends of time. Contemporary effects abound including a fascinating section of manipulation electronic textures and sounds for moments that can be quite disturbing ("After the President's Speech You Dream of Corpses"). It is a quite intense work handled excellently by the group Variant 6.
On a more traditional note, the collection of Vocal Works by composer Brian Feld brings us back to more traditional American Choral traditions (Navona 6360). This is clear from the opening gospel-like jazz of By and By, and equally gorgeous writing in Let the Light Shine on Me (both performed by the Budapest Chorus) to more contemporary writing that can be heard in his work for tenor and orchestra based on poetry by Pablo Neruda, Tres Canciones de Amor. A bit of Broadway satire appears in Let's Build A Wall which provides a fine contrast the setting of a traditional Sephardic piece. These both are scored for soloist and orchestral ensemble. The album concludes with a more intense setting of poetry by e e cummings. The six songs in the cycle Chimneys, sonnets-realities make for a rather harsher experience in this work for baritone with its more modern, harsh harmonies and dissonances. But, it does give listeners a chance to hear Feld's wide compositional capabilities.
Finally, from earlier in the year is a release featuring music by the much-admired Czech composer Ilja Hurnik (1922-2013), Gratias (Navona 6350). The performances feature the Jitro Czech Girls Choir and provide a variety of traditional choral pieces that reveal the great depth as well as wit of Hurnik. The opening Variations on a Mouse Theme is a great little exploration with nods to Bach and Haydn. Hurnik's music has an often folk-like quality that captivates the listener through these works that provide interesting descriptive settings. The album culminates with the more recent mass setting Missa Vinea Crucis (1991). The five pieces on this album allow a great window into the musical language of this composer whose music certainly deserves the wider recognition beyond his homeland. Easily recommended to choral music fans!