Search - Soli Deo Gloria Cantorum, Conductor Almeda Berkey, Jackson Berkey :: Arma Lucis

Excellent choir; excellent music

David A. Beamer | Clawson, MI United States | 07/30/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First, you probably haven't heard of this group, the Soli Deo Gloria Cantorum. Think of them as a midwestern "farm team" for Norman Luboff. The Berkeys, Almeda (the conductor), and her husband Jackson (composer of the title piece) were good friends of Luboff. They lived in Nebraska, and Luboff suggested they create their own choir to do the same kind of music (and have the fun) that Luboff did. The SDG Cantorum was the result."Arma Lucis", the title cut of the recording, is a modern, but quite accessible work. Other selections include 5 spirituals, all arranged by Luboff, and a wide variety of other styles, from Lotti's Crucifixus from the early 18th century to a Kyrie by Knut Nystedt (circa 1970), and some early American music thrown in as well ("Chester" from the time of the American Revolution). The selections show off the versatility of the choir. They are well trained, with a solid tone, and are up to the demands of the wide range of music. Bruckner's "Christus Factus Est" and the spiritual "Wade in the Water" are especially thrilling...."