New releases

Hear the world premiere of Eric Whitacre’s Nox Aurumque on this uniqute live recording of the complete “Eric Whitacre Extravaganza” concert. Choral superstar Eric Whitacre conducts the VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers, joined by The St. Olaf Choir and the 160-voice Minnesota Honors Choir, in a performance featuring many of his greatest hits. This performance was recorded live in concert at Orchestra Hall on Sunday, March 22, 2009.

Nox Aurumque (world premiere) - watch it on YouTube!
Cloudburst - watch it on YouTube!

Track Listing
All works by Eric Whitacre, unless otherwise noted.

1 Ehre sei Gott, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy - The St. Olaf Choir (Anton Armstrong, conductor)
2 Loch Lomond, arr. Jonathan Quick - The St. Olaf Choir (Anton Armstrong, conductor)
3 Eric Whitacre’s Comments
4 A Boy and A Girl - The St. Olaf Choir
5 Eric’s Comments
6 Water Night -The St. Olaf Choir
7 Eric’s Comments
8 The Seal Lullaby -The St. Olaf Choir
9 Eric’s Comments
10 When David Heard - VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers
11 With a Lily in Your Hand - VocalEssence Ensemble Singers
12 Eric’s Comments
13 Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine - VocalEssence Ensemble Singers
14 Eric’s Comments
15 Nox Aurumque (world premiere) - VocalEssence Ensemble Singers & The St. Olaf Choir (watch it on YouTube!)

~Intermission~

16 Philip Brunelle’s Comments
17 Oh, Dear What Can the Matter Be?, arr. Norman Luboff - Minnesota High School Honors Choir (Philip Brunelle, conductor)
18 For the Sake of the Children, Jeffrey Ames - Minnesota High School Honors Choir (Anton Armstrong, conductor; Charles Gray, viola)
19 Gloria from The World Beloved, Carol Barnett - Minnesota High School Honors Choir (Sigrid Johnson, conductor)
20 Eric’s Comments
21 Lux Aurumque - Minnesota High School Honors Choir
22 Eric’s Comments
23 Animal Crackers Vol. 1 - Minnesota High School Honors Choir
The Panther
The Cow
The Firefly
24 Eric’s Comments
25 Animal Crackers Vol. 2 (Midwest premiere) - Minnesota High School Honors Choir
The Canary
The Eel
The Kangaroo
26 Eric’s Comments
27 Five Hebrew Love Songs - Minnesota High School Honors Choir (Charles Gray, violin)
A Picture
Light Bride
Mostly
What snow!
Tenderness
28 Eric’s Comments
29 Cloudburst - VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers, The St. Olaf Choir, and the Minnesota High School Honors Choir (watch it on YouTube!)
30 Eric’s Comments
31 Sleep - VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers, The St. Olaf Choir, and the Minnesota High School Honors Choir

Clarion CLR931CD

The world premiere recording of Carol Barnett and Marisha Chamberlain's bluegrass mass — a joyful affirmation of life expressed in sophisticated choral sound and jubilant bluegrass harmonies written especially for the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers and bluegrass band Monroe Crossing. Plus ten American masterworks spanning the centuries, originally recorded for the national radio program Saint Paul Sunday, from Billings to Bolcom and beyond.

Listen:
Ballad, Second Verse and Refrain
Sanctus
The Day Is Done
Water Night

The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass
Carol Barnett, composer
Marisha Chamberlain, librettist

1. Ballad Refrain
2. Kyrie
3. Ballad, First Verse
4. Gloria
5. Ballad, Second Verse and Refrain
5. Credo
7. Sanctus
8. Ballad, Third & Fourth Verses and Refrain
9. Agnus Dei
10. Interlude: "Art Thou Weary?"
11. Benediction
12. Conclusion

13. O Praise the Lord of Heaven (William Billings)
14. The Paper Reeds by the Brooks (Randall Thompson)
15. Beneath These Alien Stars (Libby Larsen)
16. The Day Is Done (Stephen Paulus)
17. I Cannot Dance, O Lord (Aaron Jay Kernis)
18. Sing, My Soul, His Wondrous Love (Ned Rorem)
19. Heritage (William Bolcom)
20. Zuni Sunrise Song (Brent Michael Davids)
21. Water Night (Eric Whitacre)
22. My Soul's Been Anchored (Moses Hogan)

Clarion CLR932CD

Reflecting our shared American heritage like a patchwork quilt, this is a charming collection of folksongs performed by conductor Philip Brunelle and the 32-voice VocalEssence Ensemble Singers with guitar, harmonica, accordion, bass and piano. Classic arrangements by the likes of Norman Luboff, Alice Parker and Robert Shaw capture each folksong's unique appeal.

Listen:

Skip to My Lou
Oh Susannah
Goin' to Boston
Shenandoah

1. Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be? (arr. Norman Luboff)
2. Down in the Valley (arr. Norman Luboff)
3. Black Is the Color (arr. Norman Luboff)
4. Skip to My Lou (arr. Norman Luboff)
5. Dixie (Daniel Emmet [attributed], arr. Norman Luboff)
6. Camptown Races (Stephen Foster, arr. Jack Halloran
7. Laura Lee (Stephen Foster, arr. Edwin Fissinger)
8. Oh Susannah (Stephen Foster, arr. Edwin Fissinger)
9. Gentle Annie (Stephen Foster, arr. Edwin Fissinger)
10. Goin' to Boston (arr. Alice Parker & Robert Shaw)
11. My Old Kentucky Home (Stephen Foster, arr. Alice Parker & Robert Shaw)
12. Seeing Nellie Home (Fletcher/Kyle, arr. Alice Parker & Robert Shaw)
13. The Lonesome Valley (arr. Alice Parker & Robert Shaw)
14. Shenandoah (arr. James Erb)
15. Hooray for the Cowboys (Marilyn Bergman, arr. Norman Luboff)
16. Red River Valley (arr. Norman Luboff)
17. Tumblin' Tumbleweed (Bob Nolan, arr. Norman Luboff)
18. Riders in the Sky (Stan Jones, arr. Norman Luboff)
19. Cool Water (Bob Nolan, arr. Norman Luboff)

Reviews:

American Record Guide
When this is good, it's very good. Dixie comes off as the wistful, attractively introspective song it ought to be. Favorites like My Old Kentucky Home, Shenandoah, and Down in the Valley also tug at the heartstrings in handsome arrangements sung sensitively by this 32-voice choir from Minnesota.