Stand Ye Steady: Songs of Courage & Inspiration

USMA Cadet Glee Club | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 6, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Curtain Call Productions, LLC
• ASIN: B000ATQYVU
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,312 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #94 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Anthems

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational Music at its best, November 8, 2005

By 

John K. Mccracken - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stand Ye Steady: Songs of Courage & Inspiration (Audio CD)

Brilliant singing, great arrangements, beautiful and inspiring music. All sung by the phenomenal West Point Cadet Glee Club. Add Broadway star Lea Salonga and tenor Daniel Rodriguez and it's a tour de force recording of timeless material. I urge anyone who loves choral music and just plain great singing to buy this disc! You will not be disappointed. Performed in the magnificent chapel at West Point, the sound is incredible also. 5 Stars!!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good CD, July 18, 2006

By 

aldrin (Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stand Ye Steady: Songs of Courage & Inspiration (Audio CD)

Wonderful songs and wonderful renditions of the songs. I must say, though, that the numbers would have been better if they were performed with more "ooomph" (for instance, "The Star Spangled Banner" could have been sung with more power and the arrangement could have used more creativity). The wisest decision on this CD was the inclusion of the numbers from Ms. Lea Salonga (whose hauntingly beautiful voice is able to effectively draw listeners in) and Daniel Rodriguez, one of America's newest tenors. Overall a good CD.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reverent, Full of Love, September 26, 2006

By 

Content_Rules (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stand Ye Steady: Songs of Courage & Inspiration (Audio CD)

When I saw and heard this music broadcast Veteran's Day on TBN and my friends serving in our Armed Forces in Iraq saw it broadcast on Armed Forces Network, I was so happy to find the stereo CD and companion Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound DVD on Amazon. I cannot stop listening to it! The 60 minute musical program, reminiscent of the great concept albums of years ago, is one of the most reverent, intelligent and passionate portrayals of America's character ever produced. It contains many styles of choral music - all superbly performed by the world famous Cadet Glee Club of West Point arrayed in breathtaking formation on the altar of the massive 100 year old Cadet Chapel. There are richly textured vocal a capella songs such as "Rise Up O Men of God", "Manisons of the Lord", one of the most popular new hymns written, and "America (My Country `Tis of Thee)". Your buttons will burst with pride when you hear the brand new song "Men of Freedom" introduced by a single Cadet then followed by a cascade of additional voices building to a unified and thunderous declaration of defiant freedom in a style reminiscent of the great Welsh Male Choirs. Four songs highlight the power and majesty of the largest church organ in the world. You'll have to fight the urge to stand at attention when you hear and feel its power kick in on "Lest We Forget", "On Great Lone Hills", "Jerusalem" and "This Christmastide". The musical variety is further enhanced by the addition of brass and percussion for the rousing marches, "The Longest Day" and "Non Nobis". When was the last time you heard these two songs - one by world famous singer, songwriter and teen idol, Paul Anka and the other a medieval celebration of thanksgiving sung in Latin! The rich background vocals of the Cadet Glee Club musically frame two songs that underpin the message of this album - Bravery and Sacrifice. "Into the Fire" by NYPD's Daniel Rodriguez made me want to immediately rise up and rush to anyone's aid and when he holds that note at the end - wow! Tony Award Winner Lea Salonga's performance of the classic Christian hit, "Via Dolorosa", (one of the top 50 Christian songs of all time), is "The Passion of the Christ" embodied in a 5 minute song. You will alternate between tears and goose bumps. Her performance of the Spanish stanza will overwhelm you. Finally, Irish song writing master, Phil Coulter's wistful "Take Me Home" is accompanied by beautiful piano and guitar and introduced by a new poem entitled "I Am A Soldier" that is sobering reminder of the oath our soldiers swear to and the actions they are bound to take. God bless them!

A great bonus of the CD and DVD is that they both include a stylish lyric booklet as well as commentary by the producer on why he chose each song.

On the back cover of the CD and DVD cases is the statement that this production was created to honor the men and women of our Armed Forces, past and present, and the great values of America that they defend. This it surely does!! Also, it states that the producer is contributing a portion of his wholesale proceeds from its sale to organizations assisting our wounded soldiers. Bravo, Mr. Coppi.