Search - Various, Artistic Director Jon Bailey :: With A Mighty Voice

Glorious

Benjamin Sagan | Laguna Niguel, CA | 09/14/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For those who were unfortunate enough to miss their great concert series given in the Spring of 2000, The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles has released this, their seventh, CD, featuring selections from that concert. Thank heaven that they did.Everything about this CD is right. From the breathtaking opener, Randol Alan Bass' "Gloria," to the triumphant finale, Mendelssohn's famed "Festgesang an Die Kuenstler," every tempo, every breath, every dynamic seems to have been carefully considered and beautifully executed.In particular, I am awed by the exceptional performance of Camille Saint-Saens' tour-de-force masterpiece, "Saltarelle." The dazzling interplay of parts in this pillar of a capella men's writing is flawlessly and effortlessly sung here. And this chorus seems to have broken with tradition by remaining on pitch for the duration of the piece (with 8 key changes in 5 minutes, it's easy to see why many choruses sag). Another highlight: Gary Holt's touching arrangement of "Jonathon Wesley Oliver, Jr." is given a loving and tender treatment that practically dares you to keep from sobbing.Oh! Even "Beautiful Dreamer" (a song that I normally detest) is somehow lovely on this disc. I don't know how they did that.But the real pyrotechnics seem to have been reserved for little-known Estonian composer Veljo Tormis' stunning "Laulja (The Singer)." This magestic work may take some getting used to, as its accompaniment is extremely dissonant, but the powerful closing passages are literally spine-tingling.If I had to pick one flaw with this disc, it would be its length. Or, more accurately, it's lack thereof. Oh, it is a full-length CD, but at the end, I always wish they had put a couple more tracks on it. But then, I guess that's what great music and great performances are supposed to do to you, right?"