| RECORDINGS |
|
| LABEL: |
BELLA
VOCE |
| CATALOG
NUMBER: |
UNKNOWN |
| UPC
NUMBER: |
641444124626 |
| NUMBER OF DISCS: |
1 |
| RUNNING TIME: |
UNKNOWN |
| YEAR
RECORDED: |
2012 |
| CD
RELEASE
DATE: |
2012 |
| CONDUCTOR: |
ANDREW
LEWIS |
| ORCHESTRA: |
THE
CALLIPYGIAN PLAYERS |
| CHOIR: |
BELLA
VOCE |
| SOPRANO: |
LAURA
LYNCH |
| CONTRALTO: |
LINDSEY
ADAMS |
| TENOR: |
MICAH
DINGLER |
| BASS: |
N/A |
|
NONE
|
|
DISC ONE
1. Part I: Sinfony
3:02
2. And the Glory of the
Lord 2:50
3. And He Shall Purify
2:39
4. Behold, a Virgin Shall Conceive; O Thou
That Tellest Good Tidings to
Zion 5:40
5. For Unto Us a Child Is
Born 4:02
6. Pifa (Version I); There Were Shepherds
Abiding in the Field; and Lo, the Angel of
the Lord; and the Angel Said Unto Them;
and Suddenly There Was With the Angel;
Glory to God 4:03
7. His Yoke Is Easy 2:21
8. Part II: Behold the Lamb of
God 2:48
9. Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs; and
With His Stripes We Are Healed; All We
Like Sheep Have Gone
Astray
7:25
10. All They That See Him Laugh Him to
Scorn; He Trusted in God
2:56
11. Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye
Gates 2:57
12. Hallelujah 3:35
13. Since By Man Came
Death 2:04
14. Part III: Worthy Is the Lamb;
"Amen" 8:02
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SITE RATING: 7/10
SITE
REVIEW: I've admired
Chicago-based vocal group Bella Voce since
their days as His Majestie's Clerkes, when
they recorded a splendid Messiah highlights disc under
Anne Heider for the Narada label in 1995.
Now, seventeen years later, under a new
name and new director, the group has teamed
with fellow Chicago artists The Callipygian
Players to give us a new highlights disc, and
although it lacks the recorded polish of their
earlier Narada effort, shows them to be an
expert vocal group who are worth seeking out.
Conductor Andrew Lewis keeps everything
light and energized, with bright, razor-sharp
playing from The Callipygian Players, and
wonderful balance in evidence between all the
forces. Bella Voce is a young,
passionate group of singers, and their
choruses and solos show wonderful unity and a
strong joie
de vivre that shines through.
Among the soloists, soprano Laura Lynch
is notable for her beautiful, bell-like tone
and pure performance. The main flaw with
this recording is the live ambiance that
bleeds through - audience noise, distance and
muddiness to the recorded sound, and
occasional disunity within the choir with
parts and voices popping out, all of which
would be overlooked by those in attendance,
but as a listening experience, it's
distracting. I even heard an odd
"crackling" sound during the "Pifa", which I
could not account for. Still, there are
many striking moments, including one of the
most moving renditions of "All We Like Sheep"
which I have ever heard - this is surely a
Messiah worth seeking out if you're in Chicago
during the winter season, and while I wish
that Bella Voce had seen fit to record and
release a complete Messiah under more
controlled circumstances, this is an excellent
live "highlights" disc worth seeking out.
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