Malle Babbe Women's Choir

Review: Great movies about classical music seldom fail to fascinate -- witness the success of Shine, Immortal Beloved, The Piano. Each of these acclaimed films featured an engaging soundtrack, as does the newest addition to this prestigious category of films: Paradise Road. In this film, directed by Academy Award winner Bruce Beresford and starring Academy Award winner Glenn Close, an all-star cast tells the true story of an amazing group of Australian, English, and Dutch women, prisoners-of-war held captive by the Japanese during World War II. To keep up their spirits, these women form a choir and perform a cappella arrangements of popular classical orchestral and piano masterpieces during their captivity. The voices behind the on-screen choir that appear on this remarkable album belong to the Dutch women's choir Malle Babbe, who perform the actual arrangements of the original choir's arrangements from sheet music salvaged by the women prisoners upon their liberation. Hear for yourself the inspiring music behind this story of the triumph over despair and the preservation of hope.

Songlist: Guard Falls, Largo, From The "New World" Symphony, Andante Cantabile, String Quartet, Minuet In G, Snake Brings List, Prelude No. 20 "Funeral March", Miss Drummond Dies, Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring, Handkerchief Dance, Country Gardens, Wings Choral, Faery Song, The Immortal Hour Opera, Auld Land Syne , Mrs. O'Riordan Dies , To A Wild Rose, The Captive's Hymn, Wing's Death, Bolero, Londonderry Air

Review: Those familiar with the history of the Malle Babbe Women's Choir know that the ensemble was formed in a Japanese internment camp during World War II, as dramatized in the movie, 'Paradise Road.' Now directed by Leny Van Schaik, this 'voice-orchestra' performs various classical compositions (over seventy-three minutes of material) dedicated to holiday and religious subjects appropriate to the season, in tribute to the original Malle Babbe Choir. The Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus are celebrated in four versions of 'Ave Maria,' as written by Holst, Arcadelt, von Bruck and Kodaly, as well as several other hymns. Christmas traditionals such as the Austrian 'Yodeler Prayer' add variety, as do several Gaillardes (music written in triple meter for recorder, intended for dancing). Familiar carols represented include 'I Saw Three Ships,' which has a rolling rhythm that propels the listener like oars in water; 'Silent Night, ' with two different arrangements, both by John Rutter, and the recording's finale, a Christmas medley replicated from the original version by the Malle Babbe Choir, transcribed from memory while imprisoned. 'Sing, Choirs of Angels' is an apt title for this recording, as indeed the graceful delivery and clear high registers of this women's choir are eminently suitable to convey just such an impression. As the spires of a church ascending toward the heavens, their voices rejoice in the glory of life and of the Creator.

Songlist: Wohlauf, wir heben mit Singen an, Ave Regina Caelorum, Gaillarde / O du frohliche, Sonate aus Weibnachtskantate, Stille Nacht, Gloria in Excelsis Deo / Jodler-andacht / Leise rieselt der Schnee, Gaillarde / O Kerstnacht, Sainte Nuit, Gaude Virgo Mater Christi, Ecce Maria, Ronde / Kommet, ihr Hirten, Stille Nacht, Salve Regina , Regina Caeli , Ave Maria , Maria durch ein Dornwald ging, Ave Maria , Ave Maria, nonnenchor - j. strauss jr., benatzky, Dona Nobis Pacem, Ave Maria , Es ist ein Ros entsprungen, Mary had a Baby, I Saw Three Ships, Jodler-Andacht / Gloria in Excelsis Deo / O Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night, Song of Survival Christmas Medley: Pastoral Symphony from Messiah / Good King / The First Nowell / Away in a Manger / Good Christian Men, Rejoice / Cowley Carol / Sleep, Holy Babe / Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Review: In a time of war, and extraordinary group of women turned a song of hope into a symphony of triumph. From the director of 'Driving Miss Daisy' come a true story of courage, triumph, friendship and strength starring Glenn Close ('Dangerous Liaisons'), Oscar winner Frances McDormand (1996 Best Actress, 'Fargo') and Emmy Award winner Juliana Marguiles (TV's 'ER'). This compelling drama reveals the heroic actions of a group of women help prisoner by the Japanese during World War II. These diverse women from different countries, speaking different languages, unite to form a vocal orchestra Ð a life affirming symphony of human voices. The voices behind the on-screen choir that appear on this remarkable album belong to the Dutch women's choir Malle Babbe, who perform the actual arrangements of the original choir's arrangements from sheet music salvaged by the women prisoners upon their liberation. Hear for yourself the inspiring music behind this story of the triumph over despair and the preservation of hope.

Songlist:

Review: These pieces of music came into being in a prison camp on Sumatra. The initial idea was Norah Chambers, and Margaret Dryburgh and her worked on the various pieces. Some they did together and others individually, depending on how well we could remember the original pieces of music. The idea was to bring singers together - Dutch, British, Australian - about thirty in all, to make music to uplift us and perhaps to bring some beauty and sanity. The music was written on odd bits of paper, mostly in pencil, and written as small as possible to save paper. It was difficult at first to sing without words, what sound to make, the tempo and the color. The One sound not used was 'AH.' It was too throaty. We found the best sounds were 'Ne, Le.' When notes had to be sung together, as in 'Morning Sun,' the sixteenth notes were not broken, but sung legato. The sounds used were 'Le,' with the accent on the first note of the sixteenth notes, such as humming was used when there was a solo singer as undercurrent to the melody.

Songlist: Song of Survival Vol. 1, Song of Survival Vol. 2, Song of Survival Vol. 3, Song of Survival Vol. 4, Song of Survival Vol. 5, Song of Survival Vol. 6