Introduction to Choral works

PoleStar

Hi.

Every so often when I flick onto Lyric fm I hear some great choral music. Not the Halleluiah type church music (although I do understand that much of it was written for church) but minor key sounding dark and ominous stuff.

I never have listened to any of this stuff and would have no idea where to start.

Anyone got any recommendations?

Thanks!

funky penguin

Unaccompanied (a capella) is, in my opinion, the best kind of choral music, but you can't beat a bit of Verdi on a Sunday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdT1Mw4QJT8

Listen to the rest of the Requiem if you get a spare hour. Phenomenal mix of Opera sensibilities (above), with sacred music (Agnus Dei). The Libera Me is also a personal favourite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL3bvaL2s

I still get shivers of excitement at the thought of singing it. Excellent way of starting a fugue.

Everyone loves this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrML6s1wNHk

If you want REALLY dark.....look no further than Ligeti's Requiem. Here's the Lux Aeterna. I really want to sing this in a choir sometime:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgRZnsAgKng

As Horowitz would say..."very scary music!!"


Now, I'm going to inundate you with gorgeous music I recently sang at a gig in Maynooth!

Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium. As a lecturer put it..."like stepping into a hot bath"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn5ken3RJBo

Duruflé. Great singing on this recording actually....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=457nVpxJDkA

Britten. This is a tough piece to get into, but rewarding. Starts about halfway through the piece, after a tenor solo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAlRArv0kF8

We finished with this Whitacre piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zOcXPeSufA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZeU7okc6HQ

Great choral piece with 'pop' sensibilities. I find people either hate him or love him. I love it.

Hope you enjoy at least one of these!

PS, just listening to this as I saw your post, pretty nice!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgIIchCvBY4

Sinfonia

Bruckner's Motets are absolutely wonderful, particularly:
'Christus Factus Est'
'Os Justi'
'Locus Iste'
'Ave Maria'
'Vexilla Regis'

Also try Arvo Part:
'De Profundis'
'Solfeggio'
'Da Pacem Domine'


Some quite dark ones in there, you should like 'em!

Also try Dvorak's Mass in D, and Fauré's Requiem

funky penguin

Ah crap, Bruckner! I KNEW there was someone I was forgetting!! Definitely one of the best choral composers ever, knew exactly how to write for a choir.

Oh! And Rachmaninov's Vespers.....could go on forever I think.

PhiliousPhogg

I came across this Thomas Tallis piece at this installation in New Zealand. Think it's very atmospheric for it's time (1573), more like something Arvo Part would come up with (but I know very little about choral).

Norrdeth

Ah I find Bruchner really boring to be honest,
I've sung Locus Iste (Bass) like 50 times and I'm still not a huge fan.
+1 for Whitacre and Pärt though! Also can't beat a good bitta Górecki when the time is right.

Will post more later (battery low) .

Edit.

One of my favourite Whitacre Pieces; 'Water Night'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOYey4kGSq8

Whitacre conducts his debut choral work 'Cloudburst'
The rain part always gives me the shivers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zqp0OpzMAI

Górecki - 'Totus Tuus'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT-fogvEMTs

Came across this guy last year, Very nice.
Not one of his best works but cool none the less.
Lukaszewski - 'Ave Maria'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lacvoa4xwmQ

Norrdeth

funky penguin wrote: »

If you want REALLY dark.....look no further than Ligeti's Requiem. Here's the Lux Aeterna. I really want to sing this in a choir sometime.

Good luck man, it's for like 16 solo parts, each one at a semitone to each other, I'd say the tuning would be fierce difficult!

Jaypors

etc.

funky penguin

Have you sang any of Bruckner's other pieces? :P

Yeah, the Ligeti would be mad hard, but it sounds so cool!!!

That Tallis piece is fantastic.

kawaii

Brahms' Deutsches Requiem is pretty rad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg7sU5B_ibM

Norrdeth

funky penguin wrote: »

Have you sang any of Bruckner's other pieces?

No I havn't had the chance really, but I remember seeing his symphony No.4 in the concert hall and I was almost falling asleep the whole way through! 'T'was a shame, but I just didn't like hearing the same theme 30 times in different 'variations', once or twice is enough I think. So me and Bruckner are not on speaking terms =P


Arvo Pärt - 'Magnificat'. Quite a dark and powerful work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbxnnC22gwY&feature=related

Norrdeth

Ohoh, BTW there's one of the best choirs in Dublin performing tomorrow night in the Pro Cathedral!

The Mornington singers present......
A Midsummer Night's Dream (Sat 15th May 2010, 8pm)

Program includes

Veljo Tormis - Jaanilaulud (St. John's Day Songs)
Pēteris Vasks - Mate Saule (Mother Sun)
Eric Whitacre - Sleep, This Marriage, Water Night
Arvo Pärt - ... which was the son of...
James MacMillan - The Gallant Weaver, A Child's Prayer
David Lang - Again (After Ecclesiastes)

I can't go =(,
but it should be great!

http://www.morningtonsingers.org/

DougL

Norrdeth wrote: »

Ohoh, BTW there's one of the best choirs in Dublin performing tomorrow night in the Pro Cathedral!

Thanks for the plug! Still on a buzz after that concert...it was a good sing.

I just happened across this thread tonight. I'm loving all the youtube clips.

-Doug

Norrdeth

Hey no probs, I was there last year and it was so good that I bought the 'Solas' CD.

Keep up the good work! =D
Ben.

MugsGame

Norrdeth wrote: »

+1 for Whitacre and Pärt though!

...

One of my favourite Whitacre Pieces; 'Water Night'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOYey4kGSq8

Probably worth pointing out that this is the title track on a new CD released by the Mornington Singers who are also mentioned earlier in the thread (declaration of interest - I sing with the choir.).

Eph1958

'Heard excerps from Pendereckis St Lukes Passion on Lyric in the car one night......scary, brilliant stuff. Would love to get to a Penderecki concert or even sing in a choral work. Enjoy.

funky penguin

I got to sing his Benedictus in September....conducted by the man himself!!! Excellently written, very flowing, a joy to sing.

01mirelly

Faure's Requiem is the most beautiful and haunting work ever. I have sung it numerous times now including the Royal Albert and its defiantly worth a listen

Norrdeth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXg7MWqx15U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lacvoa4xwmQ&feature=related

Pawel Lukaszewski