Customer Reviews

Our Heart's Joy: A Chanticleer Christmas

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The all male, A Capella choir Chanticleer includes songs of many styles on this recording, but one in particular has always shined the brightest for me. The "Ave Maria," written by Biebel, includes introductory passages of traditional Gregorian chant, which lead into lush choral passages of neo-classical style, richly colored by impressionism. The sound is sonorous, fluid, and radiant, and communicates a deep sense of spiritual fulfilment. The "Ave Maria" text has been set numerous times in history, but this rendition seems best to capture the delicate longing and pleading for intercession between humans and the Virgin Mary. It is a quiet comment on the human condition, as we turn to the heavens to find order both in our lives, and in the world around us. If there is a heaven, it must sound like this.

Biebl's Ave Maria is a gem of 20th century church music. Chanticleer does a superb job of this piece which is most powerful as a male only choir piece.

The medley of spirituals is another gem - the director has teased out of the Chanticleer singers the same spontaneity and musicianship that one hears in the Belleville A Capella choir - absolutely stunning interplay between soloist and choir.

I first owned a tape of this in 1993, and went out of my way to purchase the CD last summer. I never get tired of this CD. Of course, there is nothing more healing than the Biebl Ave Maria, which grows more and more beautiful everytime I listen to it. Chanticleer introduced this beautiful piece to me, I've had the good fortune of having it sung at my wedding, and being able to sing it last year in the Cathedrals, Abbeys and Basilicas of France! The rest of the CD is just as superb, and yes, those really are men singing those most amazing Soprano sections in Go Tell It On the Mountain. Other favorites are the Mouton that opens the CD, There Is No Rose, and O Come Emmanuel. A wonderful addition to anyone's Christmas CD collection, and one that you can play year round!

Chanticleer is a highly successful all-male choral group, and this is one of their best albums. The Biebl Ave Maria is one of the single most moving tracks of any classical CD and the Basque/ Spanish carol combination is also very exciting, especially with the added percussion. This CD even gave me a couple of new favorite carols - "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day" and "Il est Né Le Divin Enfant." I have yet to hear any of the songs mentioned find competition from other recordings.

There is one thing about this album that makes it harder to enjoy than some more recent Chanticleer CDs. This album appears on the Chanticleer Records label, with which Chanticleer recorded until later joining Teldec. I've found that the levels on my Chanticleer Records albums are lower than the Teldec ones and as a result I have to turn the volume up much higher to get the full effect. This is still a five star album, but I think that with Chanticleer's move to Teldec, the production quality has definitely improved.

This album has such beauty that it goes beyond the Christmas season. I enjoy it all year round for its emotion and beautiful vocal sound. Make sure that you have this, as well as Chanticleer's "Sing We Christmas," for the holiday season.

This CD was 100% worth it for the "Ave Maria" by Franz Biebl. Some other tracks on the CD stand out too, but the groups' balance and control is simply superb. I highly recommend.

More than music, Clasical! Biebel's Ave Maria performed to perfection. What more do you expect from Chanticleer!

This album shows once again the incredible musicianship of Chanticleer. Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day is a particularly amazing display of their vocal mastery. Not so much for the difficulty of the material, but rather for the ease with which the voices dance and mingle one with another. The choice of material for the album is yet another testament to the dedication to excellence that this group displays. I once heard a reviewer say that you could tell a lot about an album by its cover. If the cover art was great the album would almost invariably yield great music. With this album, the cover gives you a premonition to what is in store. A mother tenderly holding a child. Our Heart's Joy makes the listener feel cradled on the arm of a loving mother. Highly recommended!!!

Our Heart's Desire, masterfully and lovingly sung by the great all-male group, Chanticleer, is the one Christmas album I wouldn't want to be without. The content, covering a broad range of styles spanning several centuries, includes some music to make almost anyone happier at Christmas. The blend is superb, the arrangements are innovative but true to the music, the intonation is nearly perfect, and Chanticleer sings as though the music means something to them. An hour spent listening to this album will unwind you from the crinkiest pre-Christmas blues and tensions. Don't be without it!

This album (and practically every other Chanticleer album) deserves every star it gets. Chanticleer has the talent and mastery of music to bring beauty to any song. Their harmonies are perfect and they sing with such an emotion. I have often heard the voices of Chanticleer compared with angels singing. Listen to their music, you will be amazed.

Talk about amazing. Franz Biebl created a magnificent Ave Maria for double choir... Chanticleer performs it amazingly.