Customer Reviews

Chanticleer: Sound in Spirit

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

 

 

I really can't understand why this Chanticleer recording in particular should garner such a comparatively large amount of negative reactions. I suppose some people simply have an insurmountable aversion to non-western and/or non-traditional musical ideas. Still, other Chanticleer albums (Colors of Love and Lamentations and Praises both come to mind) have forayed as much or more than Sound in Spirit into such music, and reactions to those tended more towards the positive. If you tend to prefer genre-specific Chanticleer (e.g. gospel, Christmas, early music), then Sound in Spirit may not (I repeat, MAY not) be for you. If, however, you respond equally to a wide range of sounds and styles, or if you enjoy contemporary/adventurous compositions, I cannot recommend this album enough.

Sound in Spirit is a richly evocative and endlessly rewarding musical journey, featuring compositions from diverse artists and genres. Some tracks include ambient outdoor recordings, percussion, or a guest vocalist or two. The liner notes indicate that this, more than any prior Chanticleer recording, is meant to be listened to all in one go, as a shimmering whole that transcends its disparate indvidual elements. Such cohesiveness in a musical release is a remarkable feat by any measure, but Chanticleer truly delivers. Buy it.

You have never heard an album from Chanticleer like this before! This CD explores the power of chants and hyms to transport us to the spiritual world.
The range, control, flexibility and power these singers possess is breath-taking.
The advantage to this CD is that it has continuous tracks so their is no stoppage from one track to another which provides for a wonderful listening experience. The only reason I gave this 4 stars is because those of you who are new to Chanticleer might not be used to experiencial music but I encourage you to buy the album and listen to it over and over again. With each listening you will learn and discover new things you never heard a singer do before or even things you missed in the the previous sessions. This CD encourages you to explore with them the art of music and the power of the voice in chants. This is a great work and deserves your attention.

Chanticleer is most definitely this, and much more. I applaud them for always being willing to try something new and challenge listeners. This is one of the many things that makes them the premier ensemble that they are so well know to be. Certainly, this is not a disc for people who are looking for a non-challenging listen. But it still contains things that will delight such people, especially the magnificently sung Victoria motet. Jennings' Beata plainsong arrangement, Jackson Hill's "In Winter's Keeping", and Past Life Melodies in particular will surely delight almost anyone, especially those who are into "new age" or minimalist music.

The more you listen, the more you realize there is an astonishing amount of variety in this recording. Anyone who is a fan of Chanticleer's adventuresome excursions, incredible flexibility of vocal techniques, and flawless singing will not be disappointed.

As a college trombonist, with decidedly 20th century leanings in my own personal tastes, I found this recording absolutely spellbinding. Weird? Yes! Outside the box? You bet. Awesome harmonic overtone singing? Yes! One of my duties as a musician is to "improv" on jazz solos - they do some of that on this recording as well. This disc has it all. I love ancient sacred music as well (Chanticleers Magnificat disc is excellent as well), but sometimes one tires of the (even though it is beautiful)monotony - the complete tonality and predictability of the works. Sometimes I want some interesting ideas to pop up unexpectedly, something that makes you go "Wow, how did they do that!" Sometimes I want some atonality, some asymmetrical rythmns in my choral singing. It gives the moments of tonality and common time their "glow" for lack of a better word. This disc delivers on all fronts, and is, of course, impeccably sung. In my opinion, Sound in Spirit has a good mix of traditional and non traditional music although it's not something you would put on as back ground music at a dinner or going to sleep. The music forces you to put down what you are doing, and devote your full attention. I definately recommend it.

Como pod'a groriosa, a 10 or 12 minute meditative song, track 7 of the album, is worth the entire price of the CD and more. It is a glorious piece of music that starts out with a lone voice, pleading to Mary for help for his lame daughter, then builds to an amazing crescendo as the daughter is healed and strides out into the world. You can hear the power return to the singer/singers, and it is easy to feel "healed" spiritually one's self, listening to it. I have shared this song with others and their response has been, universally, "Wow."

This album spans 800 years of sacred music. The second half of the twentieth century is well represented. If you're looking for "Christian Contemporary" or something toe-tapping, you will be disappointed. What you will hear requires some discipline to appreciate and more patience and concentration than most members of the Sesame Street Generation can summon up. Nevertheless, those who are prepared to listen to music, as opposed to merely have it as background, will be richly rewarded. The vocal performances are magnificent, of course. Chanticleer performances are never less than vocally perfect. The material, too, is entirely worthy of such an ensemble. True, you will not go around whistling the material, but it is passionate, evocative, and ultimately very spiritual in its effect. I feel closer to God each time I listen to this recording. I cannot think of a higher recommendation.

This is not your typical a capella work. Instead, lots of hollering, yelling, and strange percussion. It's not what I expected when I purchased it, and I would not have purchased it knowing the real contents. I don't speak to the quality of the work here, only that the style is extremely strange.

White spaces, silences, screams, dissonances, weirdness--this album is not worthy of Chanticleer. So much silence that you think your equipment is broken. One star only for including the de Victoria O Sacrum Convivium. Skip this one and hope for something more substantial from Chanticleer.

If I didn't lose the receipt I would have taken this one back.
I was shocked that what I was listening to was really the same Chanticleer on the Rensaissance records I have. I might have enjoyed this more back when I was dropping acid and eatting mushrooms.

I'm a big Chanticleer fan, but I have to say this recording was disappointing. This isn't really music most of the time, more screaming and percussion and "environments". That being said, there is still a lot of high quality vocal work going on and you can tell that professional singers are behind it. Still, it's a boring, weird listen. Victoria's "O sacrum Convivium" (6) is the only really worthy piece of music on the recording, but the plainsong (5), the Alfonso X de Castille (7), and "Cor Meum Est Templum Sacrum" (13) are also OK.

Many criticized Chanticleer for spending so much time on spirituals, instead of focusing on the Renaissance, which it does best. I didn't. But Chanticleer has gone way too far from its roots this time.