The Western Wind

Since 1969, the internationally acclaimed vocal sextet, The Western Wind, has devoted itself to the special beauty and variety of a cappella music. The Ensemble's repertoire reveals its diverse background - from Renaissance motets to Fifties rock 'n' roll, from medieval carols to Duke Ellington, from complex works by avant-garde composers to the simplest folk melodies. In addition to maintaining a demanding performance schedule, which has included such venues as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, ArtPark, The Ordway Theater, The Metropolitan Museum, The Frick Museum, The Jewish Museum, Folger Shakespeare Library, Library of Congress, and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

The Western Wind regularly conducts Workshops in Ensemble Singing. The workshops, attended by vocalists ranging from novice to professional, address the particular challenges of singing in small, largely un-conducted ensembles. As part of its non-profit mission to spread the joy of music people of all ages, The Western Wind coordinates a highly-acclaimed arts-in-education program in the New York City public school system called The Western Wind Goes To School for children ages 6-14. The curriculum ranges from the fundamentals of music notation and rhythm to highly-refined interpretation of challenging vocal repertoire. Since 1989, The Western Wind has produced a series of radio programs distributed throughout the United States by National Public Radio and Public Radio International. The programs address topics ranging from settings of love songs throughout the centuries to a musical narrative of the Jewish High Holy Days.

Discography

My Funny Valentine

I'm Beginning To See The Light Mood Indigo Don't Get Around Much Anymore My Funny Valentine Oh, Lady Be Good I Got Rhythm 'Round Midnight Well You Needn't Ruby My Dear Leaving On A Jet Plane I Can't Make You Love Me In My Room Sh'boom, Life Could Be A Dream

The Western Wind was formed in 1969 and two of the founders are still singing. Perhaps the longevity of the group is due to the fact that their repertoire includes everything except heavy metal. This particular album includes classic American love songs form 1920 to 1950. The works include songs by Rogers and Hart, George Gershwin, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Brian Wilson and John Denver. Though mostly jazz, their classical training comes through on "My Funny Valentine," particularly. Two songs, "Oh, Lady Be Good" and "I Got Rhythm"were arranged by Dick Hyman who accompanies the group on piano. The cd notes include biographies of the composers and info about the music.

2241 CD $14.98

An (Almost) A Cappella Songbook

O Western Wind Sumer is Icumen In Flos Regalis Se d'Amer Me Repentoie Irme Quiero Madre Ay Luna Miraculous Love's Wounding L'Amfiparnaso, Act I, Scene I Dolcissimo Uscignolo Vessels Zango Mexico Fellaheen Amazing Grace / The Promised Land I Believe This Is Jesus I'm too Tired to Tell You That I Love You 'Round Midnight I'm Beginning to See the Light It Don't Mean a Thing Sh'boom, Life Could Be a Dream Canary in a Coal Mine Wimowen Lonesome Road

The members of Western Wind, four men and two women, share an incredible depth of experience and scholarship. Combine that a musical sensitivity that embraces almost any genre, and the result is a "musical history tour." Beginning with the medieval, the group includes Rennaissance polyphony, African-American spirituals and Duke Ellington swing on their journey. "Dolcissimo Uscignolo" and "L'Amfiparnaso" border on the operatic. Philip Glass' "Vessels" (Glass is a contemporary composer of some repute) takes as a central concept a repetitive series of intervals, minor second, major second, minor third, though not in that order, juxtaposed against an arpeggiated scale or repeated tone, conveying a marvelous sense of energy, upward movement and growth. Fifties doo-wop takes a turn with "Sh'boom, Life Could Be A Dream," though the vocal style is much too refined to resemble the original version(s). Four tracks have minimal accompaniment.

2238 CD $14.98

Angel Voices

Boston (William Billings) Bethlehem (William Billings) What Child is This? The Cherry Tree Carol If Anybody Ask You Who I Am I Believe This is Jesus Magnificat Primi Toni (Orlando di Lasso) Nos Qui Sumus (Orlando di Lasso) O Sacrum Convivium (Giovanni Croce) Mirabile Mysterium (Jacob Handl) Includemur Nube Caliginosa Flos Regalis Expression Weeping Mary/To the Land (John. G. McCurry/W.T. Power) Jesus Born in Bethlea Mary Heard the Angel's Voice (Elliot Levine) I Lift Up Mine Eyes to the Mountains (Elliot Levine) I'm Coming Home (Hale Smith) Dormant (Sleep, downy sleep) (Jacob French) New Britain (Amazing Grace)/The Promised Land

The versatile six-member Western Wind bring us a "sacred vocal collection for Christmas, Medieval, Renaissance, Early American, Contemporary." Twenty amazing cuts, from William Billings’ "Boston" and "Bethlehem" to Elliot Levine’s "Mary Heard The Angel’s Voice" and "I Lift Up Mine Eyes To The Mountains," the Western Wind shows off its authenticity and diversity. Just listen to "If Anybody Ask You Who I Am," "I Believe This Is Jesus," Hale Smith’s "I’m Coming Home," "The Cherry Tree Carol" and di Lasso’s "Nos Qui Sumus" and you’ll appreciate how good Western Wind really is!

Holiday Light

Angelus Ad Virginem Angels We Have Heard On High Mi Fe Vengo De Belen Quem Vidistis Pastores Bethlehem Mary Heard The Angel's Voice Of A Rose The Cherry Tree Carol Little Book Lullaby There Is A Flower Xiocochi Conetzintle Sweet Little Jesus Boy I Saw Three Ships The Darknest Night If Anybody Ask You Somerset Wassail Silver Bells Christmas Time Is Here

A rich assortment of holiday music from the Middle Ages to the present, woven together with narration by Roma Downey (Touched By An Angel). Holiday Light features glorious new arrangements of "Angels We Have Heard," "Silver Bells" and "Christmas Time Is Here" (of Charlie Brown fame), created especially for this double CD set. "Sung with impeccable intonation, flawless balance and a supple sense of rhythmic flexibility that keeps the ear in a constant state of anticipation." – Buffalo News

The Happy Journey - Early American Vocal Music

Shaker Songs The Happy Journey Now My Dear Companions Funeral Hymn Who Will Bow and Bend Like A Willow From the Moon New England Anthems, Folk-Hymns and Plain Tunes Honor to the Hills Brevity Sorrow's Tear Decay Columbia Lamentation Evening Hymn Complainer Euroclydon, an Anthem Southern Spirituals (Black and White) Wake Up Musgrove The Bower of Prayer Weeping Mary The Angels Done Bowed Down Calvary Sinner, Please Don't Let This Harvest Pass Wondrous Love New Britain

A Delightful and moving compendium of early American song including Shaker Songs, New England Anthems’ Folk-hymns and Fuging-Tunes by rough-hewn Yankee tunesmiths Billings, Ingalls, Jenks and Wood. Also featured are Southern Spirituals, both black and white, including the first published version of Amazing Grace (called New Britain) and the first piece of published music written by an American woman, The Promised Land by Miss M Durham.

The Chanukkah Story

Chanukkah, Oy Chanukkah Mi Ze Y'Malel Hayo Haya Mi YMalel Al Hanissim Maoz Tzur Lo B'chayil Psalm 30 Los Siete Hijos De Hanna Hanerot Hallalu O Ir Kleyne Likhtelekh Boruch Ate, Zingt Der Tate Tzindt on Likhtelekh Mi Ze Hidlik Akht Kleyne Brider Lichvod Hachanukkah Kemach Min Hasak Hazermos Una Merenda Quita'l Tas Ocho Kandelikas S'Vivon I Have A Little Dreydle

Twenty-five tracks narrated by Theodore Bikel, who explains and describes much of the tradition associated with each composition, this frequently and beautifully accompanied CD reflects the "diverse and multi-national nature of the Jewish experience." The detailed liner notes further elaborate on Jewish history and the CD's content, which encompasses Sephardic songs, folk melodies, European nineteenth-century classical, and more. "Maoz Tzur" (Rock Of Ages in English), is a German synagogue melody with an arrangement from 1720 by the Italian, Marcello. The Western Wind, a mixed sextet, has a refined and cultured tone, and each piece is performed with a quiet dignity.

The Western Wind Songbook

If Anybody Ask You Who I Am I Believe This Is Jesus What Child Is This? The Cherry Tree Carol Boston Bethlehem Dormant (Sleep, Downy Sleep) O sacrum convivium (O Sacred and Holy Feast) Nos qui sumus (We Who Wander) New Britain (Amazing Grace) The Promised Land Expression Weeping Mary To the Land Mary Heard the Angel's Voice I Lift Up Mine Eyes to the Mountains

This songbook comes complete with 16 sacred pieces as performed by The Western Wind. Each piece has performance notes as well notes on the history of that song.

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