This critically acclaimed recording includes Frank Martin's Mass, Herbert Howell's Requiem, Allegri's Miserere, and Barber's Agnus Dei

A forty-voice chorus devoted to the performance of works by twentieth-century composers, this 1995 recording by the Dale Warland Singers is modern classical choral music at its most inspiring and proficient. Sometimes oblique, emphasizing texture over adherence to an immediately recognizable form, works such as the second track, 'Izhe Xeruvimy,' seem to unfold in a series of layers. The charming and delicate 'The Rune Of Hospitality,' with the voices gently and broadly undulating against a repetitive acoustic guitar, suggests the enigma of the universe, the expanse of the night sky.

The 49-strong Dale Warland Singers, directed by the renowned Dale Warland, bring us 19 beautiful traditional American songs and spirituals, recorded at the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Paul, Minnesota. There is some light accompaniment on a few songs, with harp, oboe and bass. The liner notes are extensive, with histories and words for each song. All the songs are wonderful, but some of our favorites are: 'Oh, Shenandoah,' 'Skip to my Lou,' 'Soldier, Soldier Won't You Marry Me?,' 'Red River Valley,' 'Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair,' 'Single Girl,' 'Buffalo Gals,' 'The Water Is Wide' and 'Black Sheep.' Another classic collection from Dale Warland!

'A Rose In Winter' is a seasonal program of mostly modern, classical compositions (20th century). Polyphonic texture, as exemplified by Kverno's 'Ave Maria Stella,' and its two-part choir, is heightened in intensity by pushing the vocal ranges, from both ends of the audio spectrum. Other compositions, such as John Paynter's 'The Rose,' use tone clusters (simultaneous discordant pitches) to evoke a sense of stasis, of both rest and motion. The most melodic selection is 'O Be Joyful,' written and played by guitarist Jeffrey Van; its binary form alternates an adagio tempo with double-time (one other track is accompanied, the rest, a cappella), very suggestive of the Rennaissance. The Dale Warland Singers are one of the most lauded professional choirs, and its interpretations are always of the highest standard.

This delicate and angelic Christmas collection is as magical as Christmas itself. The Dale Warland Singers, a choral ensemble from Minnesota, performs sixteen classic carols as arranged by Steven Paulus. The collaboration between Warland and Paulus (the latter associated with both Robert Shaw and Neville Marriner), is a serendipitous one indeed. The tasteful accompaniment on 11 of the tracks, such as the lachrymose oboe of 'We Three Kings' or the lilting harp that offsets the tension of the melody of 'The Ship Carol,' are the perfect accessory. 'Angels We Have Heard On High' is joyous, the high harmony ascending to an exultant and inspired climax.

The forty-voice choir, directed by Dale Warland, are known for their advancement of modern choral literature. This CD bookends works by Bejamin Britten and Leonard Bernstein, with several other composers - Stephen Paulus, Nancy Wertsch and Aharon Harlap among them - contributing. Britten's 'Rejoice In The Lamb' (Op.30), is an exercise in contrast, with eerie chromatic dissonances and diminutive solo passages in marked relief to the organ-accompanied, florid crescendos of the chorus. Harlap's 'Bat Yiftach' features a distinctive solo French horn motif, rebuked by an agitated chorus; the music from Bernstein's 'Chichester Psalms' were actually exerpted from work the celebrated conductor had written for an unproduced Thornton Wilder play! With organ, percussion and harp, the result has several movements and is sung in Hebrew; moments of stark beauty are shattered by portentous discord, only to be relieved by a dreamlike peace.

The Dale Warland Singers make their debut on Gothic with a beautiful new Christmas CD, featuring imaginative>arrangements of carols from around the world. The sound is incomparable. 21 songs, from 'Il est ne, le divin enfant,' 'The Virgin's Cradle Hymn,' 'Susanni' and the Swedish carol 'Prepare the Way,' to the Latvian carol 'Ai, nama mamina,' the Medieval carol 'The Friendly Beasts,' the Canadian 'Huron Carol' and the Basque 'Gabriel's Message.' A special, rare Christmas gift of beautiful music from around the world.

Reissue, by popular demand of Volume I of a classic pair of Christmas CDs, long out of print, by the renowned Dale Warland Singers. 29 songs: 'O Little Town of Bethlehem,' 'He Is Born,' 'Coventry Carol,' 'Angels We Have Heard on High,' 'Hallelu,' 'Child of Peace,' 'O Come, All Ye Faithful,' 'Of the Father's Love Begotten,' 'How Still He Rests,' 'Benedicamus Domino,' 'Catalonian Carol,' 'Ah, Bleak and Chill the Wintry Wind,' 'All On a Christmas Morning,' 'Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella,' 'What Child is This?' 'The Shepherd's Carol' and many more. Lovely!

Volume II of the reissue, by popular demand, of a classic pair of Christmas CDs, long out of print, by the renowned Dale Warland Singers. 29 songs: 'The Holly and the Ivy,' 'A Savior from on High,' 'Jesus Christ the Apple Tree,' 'On Christmas Night,' 'Wexford Carol,' 'Lullay, My Liking,' 'Sing We Now of Christmas,' 'Christmas Lullaby,' 'The Kings and the Shepherds,' 'There Is No Rose of Such Virtue,' 'Lullaby, Dear Jesus,' 'How Far Is It to Bethlehem,' 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing,' 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,' 'A Boy Was Born,' 'Lo! How a Rose E'er Blooming,' 'Manger Dance' and many more. A classic!

1975 Pulitzer Prize in Music winner and winner of Fulbright and Guggenheim awards , Minnesota composer Dominick Argento marked his diamond jubilee in 2003 with performances of his works by the numerous musical organizations, including the Dale Warland Singers, who have commissioned him across the decades. First we have the first piece written for the group by Argento in 1981, 'I Hate and I Love (Odi et Amo),' which includes percussion. Then 'A Toccata of Galuppi's, a rhapsody for chamber choir, harpsichord and string quartet, with poetry by Robert Browning. The final piece, 'Walden Pond,' puts to music the outdoor musings of 19th century author and naturalist, Henry David Thoreau, including 'The Pond,' 'Angling,' 'Observing,' 'Extolling' and 'Walden Revisited.' All songs are lightly accompanied. Extensive liner notes tell us all about the composer, the music and the group. Complex harmonies, dramatic phrasing--very few groups would attempt to perform this music; the DWS do it justice with professional elegance. Excellent!

Some of the most beautiful music in the world can be heard in a performance of Rachmaninoff's Vespers. Better to be described as an All-night vigil, Rachmaninoff uses Russian melodies dating from the Byzantine era. In the Eastern Church, the All-night vigil is observed before religious feasts. This piece is difficult for any non-Russian choir due to the language. The Dale Warland Singers sing with great energy and beautiful dark tones as befits the Russian style.

Reincarnations is a program of five American masterworks and includes one world premier recording (Tom o'Bedlam). 'The Hour Glass' by Irving Fine is difficult and virtuosic cycle, written in a lyrical style just before his 12-tone experimentation. 'Tom o'Bedlam' by Jacob Avshlomov is based on a text about one of the patients of the insane asylum, St. Mary of Bethlehem, in 16th century. Accompanied by oboe and percussion, this powerful piece mimics the nonsense and madness in the text. 'Reincarnations' by Samuel Barber is a set of three pieces which uses James Stephen's re-writing of old Gaelic poetry and includes the absolutely gorgeous setting of 'The Coolin (The Fair Haired One).' All of the works on this recording are demanding but skillfully sung by the incomparable Dale Warland Singers.

Harvest Home originated in England as a festival for 'bringing in the harvest' around the autumnal equinox. The community would work together to get the harvest (usually wheat, barley, corn, and oats) in before the autumn weather closed in. This bringing of the 'harvest home' would be an occasion for great rejoicing accompanied by feasting, music, and dancing. Our 'Homecoming' takes its origins from this festive term. This recording is a collection of familiar spirituals, folk songs, and hymns. Exquisitely sung and beautifully recorded, this CD offers some of the most heartfelt singing we've heard in awhile. Perfect intonation, sumptuous sound, and familiar tunes - this is Dale Warland at his best. Includes 'Deep River,' Simple Gifts, 'The Water is Wide,' Beautiful River ('Shall we gather at the river') 'We gather together,' and many more. The booklet features full text and notes on each song. The Grammy-nominated Dale Warland Singers, during their 31 years of concerts and recordings, set the standard for excellence in American choral singing. This was recorded before the group disbanded in 2004.

Listen to By and By in RealAudio.

Grammy-nominated Dale Warland Singers' final concert, on May 30, 2004, concluded 31 years of concerts, tours, radio broadcasts and critically acclaimed recordings. The Singers, a 40-voice professional choir based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, were recognized as one of the world's best a cappella choral ensembles. 'Lux' is a collection of popular 19th and 20th century sacred music that shows just how high Dale Warland's standards were in creating and working with his renowned group. Picking favorites from this strong program isn't easy, but certainly Gretchaninoff's 'Of Thy Mystical Supper,' Vytautus Miskinis's 'O sacrum convivium,' Chesnokov's 'Salvation is Created,' John Rutter's 'Hymn to the Creator of Light,' the title tune by Eric Whitacre, Dominic Argento's 'To God' (In Memoriam M.B.), and Nikolai Golovanov's 'Otche Nash.' The Dale Warland Singers has long been a favorite of ours for their bright, powerful harmonies and strong direction; 'Lux Aurumque' is a beautiful, appropriate swan song for this great ensemble.

Listen to Otche Nash - Nikolai Golovanov in RealAudio.