Customer Reviews

The Choral Music Of René Clausen, Volume I

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Rene Clausen truly captures the beauty of choral music. This collection contains a great variety of music and provides the listener with the satisfaction, that choral music comes from the heart and from the depts of the soul. From a Native Indian piece, religous songs, to contemporary choral music; this Collection is one of the best. A unique style is presented in this music as the listener is taken into Rene Clausen's musical world. This is a must for any fan of choral music.

Rene Clausen has a gift. He has a seemingly never-ending pallet with which to paint some of the most stunningly colored arrangements I have ever heard. "Tonight, Eternity Alone" melts me. It's stunning - as is most every song this man endeavors to write. My only complaint is that there seems to be no recording available of his stunning piece, "Whispers of Heavenly Death". Finding that would mark the end of my search for compositional perfection.

I find some of these works to be a little self-consciously new agey, but that seems like such a petty complaint when I can't seem to get enough of "Set Me as a Seal" and "Tonight Eternity Alone".
I have always loved singing Set Me as a Seal, but after the attacks of Sept 11, I find myself listening to it over and over, with it's repeated lines "Love is strong as death." Dr. Clausen has brings the best of Russian choral music to the poigniant harmonies of this piece, and I am always quite moved by it.
Dr. Clausen conducts the piece himself and his tempo is just too slow to my ears, and the Dale Warland Singers are a little sloppy with a tone not as well-blended as it could be. Perhaps this is the fault of the recording quality itself.
Still, I just love that piece.
"Tonight Eternity Alone" with its line "there is no space for fear" seems totally appropriate for times of great sadness, as well, with even more of the Russian Orthodox harmonic feeling.
Anyone who loves choral music, is lifted up by it or consoled by it really should buy this for these 2 works.

I have been a member of the Concordia Choir for three years and have worked with Dr. Clausen for 5 years. He is a deeply spritual man who can show you heaven with his music. A very humble, family man, he captures you in the sound of his music and lifts your soul to the world yet to come. I wish everyone could sing and work with him. It has been a true gift to be able to not only sing his music, but by in his choir and to touch the people with the music and gospel we bring. this CD is only a small of taste of the musical world if Rene' Clausen.