Post by Benjamin A. Vazquez U.E. on Dec 9, 2010 12:11:34 GMT -5
The Mass for All Creatures
Artist: St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, The Amabile Youth Singers & The St. Francis Ensemble
Album: The Mass for All Creatures
Year: 1998
CD#: XXXXX
Best Tracks (Chamber Music): #5, #6, #9, #12, #18
Comments Overall: Extremly varied. Heartwarming and lovely.
1. Prelude: All Lives Are One, 0:44 - Short, peaceful, lovely. A single voice. No lyrics. No instruments. An excellent introduction to a more robust piece.
2. Introit: All Creatures Speak of God, 3:27 - Choir alone, then instrumentation alone, then both together. Active and energetic. Ever-changing. A few abrupt transitions. Poorer segment midway through.
3. The Earth is Mourning, 1:02 - Begins quietly, with a ringing bell, and quiet singing. Abruptly becomes more strident, harsh.. "The earth lies poluted...."
4. Kyrie, 4:00 - Begins with a single piano chord, fading into nothing. Slow, quiet mournful Kyrie Eleyson. Powerful. Rises and falls beautifully. Latin lyrics: "Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy."
5. Mayfair/Little Lamb, 4:30 - Instrumental piece. Varied. Lively. Flute and harp, with others.
6. Todas Las Vidas, 2:04 - Instrumental piece. Series of trills on flute and harp. Sets into something mellower. Mellodic. Peaceful. Noticable percussion.
7. Canticle: Benedicite, 3:23 - Begins with instrumentation and percussion, rising to a crecendo. Choir enters. Powerful. Marvelous interaction between choir and instruments. A few awkward moments. Ends abruptly.
8. Gradual: If I Were Alone, 3:59 - Begins with classical guitar. Choir enters at 1:08. Soft, quiet, mysterious. Arabesque quality. Becomes louder as it goes along. "If I were alone in the Desert ... I would want a child to be with me..." Fades out at the end.
9. Lauda, 2:43 - Instrumental piece. Light. Nimble. Dominated by the harp. Flute enters later. Picks up substantially at 1:37.
10. Daughter of the Moon, 3:09 - Instrumental piece. Quiet, calm, soothing. Track ends abruptly - the phrase finishes on #11.
11. The Mi'kmaq Honour Song, 4:05 - Begins with the harp. Haunting, mysterious singing. Animal noises in the background. Fades out.
12. Desert Wind, 3:58 - Instrumental piece. Begins softly. Beeds tumbling to the ground. Picks up tempo as it goes along. Arabesque quality.
13. Sanctus, 2:18 - Short instrumental introduction. Stacatto, urgent, determined. Latin lyrics.
14. Rainforest Moonrise, 7:59 - Instrumental piece. Slow, quiet, calming. Fades out.
15. Agnus Dei, 2:41 - Magnificent choral piece. Dreamy. Beautiful. Spirit-lifting. Latin lyris: "Lamb of god, who takes away the sin of the world...."
16. Little Lamb, 2:51 - Begins with flute. Lively and bright. Stacatto. Light and playful. Varies in tempo. Slightly corny lyrics. Heartwarming. Fades out.
17. Trope: "Deus Genitor Alme", 4:37 - Begins with a gong. Ethereal, mysterious. Becomes melancholy. Rises out of the meloncholy, then sinks back into it. Fades out.
18. Hymn of Acclamation: All Lives Are One, 3:55 - Begins slowly. Lovely choral piece. Slightly corny lyrics. Uses the same melody as track #1. Pure, simple, melodic. Becomes magnificent around 1:57. Triumphal ending segment. Eighteen seconds of silence tacked onto end of track.
Note I: Also posted under Sacred Music and Choral Music.
Note II: Getting a copy of this CD is tough - copies are available from St. Paul's Cathedral downtown, but they have to get the music department to dig it out, which means you'll probably have to go back several times. I'm not familiar with any other source.
Note III: The entire suite of music was composed by Oliver Whitehead for the Blessing of the Animals service on the feast day of St. Francis.
Website: www.stpaulscathedral.on.ca/
Artist: St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, The Amabile Youth Singers & The St. Francis Ensemble
Album: The Mass for All Creatures
Year: 1998
CD#: XXXXX
Best Tracks (Chamber Music): #5, #6, #9, #12, #18
Comments Overall: Extremly varied. Heartwarming and lovely.
1. Prelude: All Lives Are One, 0:44 - Short, peaceful, lovely. A single voice. No lyrics. No instruments. An excellent introduction to a more robust piece.
2. Introit: All Creatures Speak of God, 3:27 - Choir alone, then instrumentation alone, then both together. Active and energetic. Ever-changing. A few abrupt transitions. Poorer segment midway through.
3. The Earth is Mourning, 1:02 - Begins quietly, with a ringing bell, and quiet singing. Abruptly becomes more strident, harsh.. "The earth lies poluted...."
4. Kyrie, 4:00 - Begins with a single piano chord, fading into nothing. Slow, quiet mournful Kyrie Eleyson. Powerful. Rises and falls beautifully. Latin lyrics: "Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy."
5. Mayfair/Little Lamb, 4:30 - Instrumental piece. Varied. Lively. Flute and harp, with others.
6. Todas Las Vidas, 2:04 - Instrumental piece. Series of trills on flute and harp. Sets into something mellower. Mellodic. Peaceful. Noticable percussion.
7. Canticle: Benedicite, 3:23 - Begins with instrumentation and percussion, rising to a crecendo. Choir enters. Powerful. Marvelous interaction between choir and instruments. A few awkward moments. Ends abruptly.
8. Gradual: If I Were Alone, 3:59 - Begins with classical guitar. Choir enters at 1:08. Soft, quiet, mysterious. Arabesque quality. Becomes louder as it goes along. "If I were alone in the Desert ... I would want a child to be with me..." Fades out at the end.
9. Lauda, 2:43 - Instrumental piece. Light. Nimble. Dominated by the harp. Flute enters later. Picks up substantially at 1:37.
10. Daughter of the Moon, 3:09 - Instrumental piece. Quiet, calm, soothing. Track ends abruptly - the phrase finishes on #11.
11. The Mi'kmaq Honour Song, 4:05 - Begins with the harp. Haunting, mysterious singing. Animal noises in the background. Fades out.
12. Desert Wind, 3:58 - Instrumental piece. Begins softly. Beeds tumbling to the ground. Picks up tempo as it goes along. Arabesque quality.
13. Sanctus, 2:18 - Short instrumental introduction. Stacatto, urgent, determined. Latin lyrics.
14. Rainforest Moonrise, 7:59 - Instrumental piece. Slow, quiet, calming. Fades out.
15. Agnus Dei, 2:41 - Magnificent choral piece. Dreamy. Beautiful. Spirit-lifting. Latin lyris: "Lamb of god, who takes away the sin of the world...."
16. Little Lamb, 2:51 - Begins with flute. Lively and bright. Stacatto. Light and playful. Varies in tempo. Slightly corny lyrics. Heartwarming. Fades out.
17. Trope: "Deus Genitor Alme", 4:37 - Begins with a gong. Ethereal, mysterious. Becomes melancholy. Rises out of the meloncholy, then sinks back into it. Fades out.
18. Hymn of Acclamation: All Lives Are One, 3:55 - Begins slowly. Lovely choral piece. Slightly corny lyrics. Uses the same melody as track #1. Pure, simple, melodic. Becomes magnificent around 1:57. Triumphal ending segment. Eighteen seconds of silence tacked onto end of track.
Note I: Also posted under Sacred Music and Choral Music.
Note II: Getting a copy of this CD is tough - copies are available from St. Paul's Cathedral downtown, but they have to get the music department to dig it out, which means you'll probably have to go back several times. I'm not familiar with any other source.
Note III: The entire suite of music was composed by Oliver Whitehead for the Blessing of the Animals service on the feast day of St. Francis.
Website: www.stpaulscathedral.on.ca/