Customer Reviews

Battle Cry of Freedom

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A nice recording with fine singing. But the arrangements and performance sound very dated. Despite the aggressive title of this disc - many of these classics are arranged to give everything a kind of mellow orchestral flavor - while most of the songs should have the flavor of a Sousa Band (after all these are patriotic songs). For crisp inspiring renditions of these songs consider the new men's chorus recording of patriotic songs on the CD entitled "The Spirit of Freedom" with the Washington Men's Camerata.

If you want a CD with the most popular patriotic or military anthems on it, performed in classic formal style by great artists, varied because it features not only a mixed chorus of men and women, but soloists and a symphony orchestra too, buy this one before it goes out-of-print. First issued in 1962, this disc features not only "America" and "God Bless America" and "America the Beautiful" but also a stirring long version of "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Less familiar is "Columbia the Gem of the Ocean", which I've always liked. It closes with "The Star-Spangled Banner" of course. Inbetween is a great version of "Yankee Doodle" and a Civil War medley which offers not just songs from the righteous Union side, but a few from the traitorous Confederacy, too. There is also a medley of the armed forces anthems for the Marines, the Navy, the Air Force and the Army. I purchased this recently as a Christmas gift for my mother-in-law, who is 81, was a young bride with an Air Force husband during World War II, and is as conservative a Christian as any good Southern Baptist can be. I hope she'll like it, even though country and western music from the '40's and '50's is her special thing. If you have a desire to have these kind of songs in your collection, the Robert Shaw outfit does them in high style and you'll likely be happy with this CD.

It would be hard to imagine a better performance of this music, and equally hard to imagine a better choral sound than the vintage Robert Shaw Chorale. Shaw used some of the finest young professional singers of the day, many of whom went on to enjoy distinguished careers in vocal music.

Besides having an uncompromising rhythmic vitality, Shaw brings a simple dignity to this wonderful music. "America the Beautiful" a straight-forward arrangement with solo work by Florence Kopleff and Thomas Pyle is a prime example.

This is a truly a splendid album.

This CD, a reissue of an earlier RCA LP recording, is a triumph of choral music. The singers of the Robert Shaw Chorale are, as always, superb. Shaw's later mastery of orchestral conducting is not fully realized here and the arrangements are very good, but not great. The late Thomas Pyle's solo, however, is reason enough to purchase this CD.

When you read the back cover, you note that the original recording was done in 1962. It does not look like that. The sound is still perfect, the songs are very well sung, it is easy to sing along and, more generally, the voices of the singers of the Robert Shaw Chorale are always excellent. For me, it is a good CD and you may buy it in full confidence.

I am a devotee of this genre and The Robert Shaw Chorale does each song justice. This album (note my age, it is a CD!) makes my chest swell with pride. Being a Civil War buff, I found the many songs of that conflict to be an added treat. If you appreciate this type of music you should certainly buy this record. (old guy again...CD!)

Very good music and sound, but - and this is really, really annoying - the medleys are interrupted by sudden stops between the themes obviously not part of the original recording but inserted making the CD. It's a pity, because it ruins the whole listening experience.

As a veteran choral director, I would be hard pressed to find anything deleterious about the Robert Shaw Chorale during the time of their most impressive recording period. These singers were without flaws, and never gave a bad performance. Shaw was the consumate choral conductor, and understood lyrics and what to do with them to make an effective choral statement. Such genius comes along maybe once a century, and all other conductors can only marvel at this master's technique and style.

Shaw covered many forms and genres of choral repertoire, and this collection of American compositions, both old and relatively new, is one fine example of his attention to the American spirit. Covering simple tunes from the Civil War to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" is a vast expanse in time, and the Chorale meets that challenge in every example.

There are now many good recordings of American patriotic music, mostly orchestral, but if you are looking for shorter compositions of well-known Americana, you won't be able to beat THIS collection!

This is a collection of upbeat patriotic song preformed in a very fast tempo. Shaw is one of the early conductor's in the sixties to try to recreate music in the way he belived to have been performed in its time. This performance is very American in that it is boisterous , proud upbeat This record will stir your heart to a faster rate. You can't hardly go wrong with any thing by the Robert Shaw Chorale .

I was glad to see the latest review by James Yelvington. He's exactly right and I will add only this: when you're ready for an emotional reminder about the heart of "America", play this CD. No matter how "dated" or "orchestral" it might be, I promise you have never heard "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" as it is played and sung here. The same with the National Anthem.

These are not just Sousa marches. Look at the titles included. They are of the soul of this country. And The Robert Shaw Chorale treats them as such.