Light & Gold

There is no doubt that Eric Whitacre is the premiere contemporary choral composer of our time. If you ask any choir director (myself included) I would presume every one of them knows who he is and what he has done. I must say I'm very happy with this CD. When I first heard there was going to be another Eric Whitacre CD I was leary just because he has 3 prominent albums out there already. 2 with the BYU choir and 1 with Polyphony that contain almost all of his choral work released to date. I saw what selections would be on the CD and I was glad to see that his newer works were more prominent.

There are only 2 criticisms I have. The first is the release of songs like Lux Aurumque, Water Night, and Sleep. I love these songs, I truly do but it is almost impossible to find a choral CD without one of these songs. I do appreciate being able to hear the Eric Whitacre singers sing them but it is not why I bought this CD. I bought it for Nox Aurumque, The Stolen Child, and The Seal Lullaby. They are beautifully done and haven't had the wide release that the other three have. The second is more personal. The choir is amazing. Their phrasing is outstanding in being able to drive to the climax of each piece. However it sounds a bit robotic in parts. Because they are so technical with their notes, jumps, and vowels it takes away from the warmth of the music which, to me, is why Eric Whitacre music is so popular. This is just a personal opinion. It shows the most in the Seal Lullaby. It seems they are more focused on making sure no one scoops up or down that it takes away the humanistic character of the piece. I can appreciate trying to sing it 100% correctly to the page but not at the expense of the reason of the piece.

I did enjoy Leonardo Dreams of his Flying Machine.Read more ›

Eric Whitacre is a rock-star of modern choral music. He has won Grammy Awards, has best-selling albums, and even has three festivals named after him in Australia and Italy! YouTube Virtual Choir performances of his compositions are top hits. He even bears an uncanny resemblance to Josh Holloway, the actor who played Sawyer on the TV show Lost. Clearly he has achieved a popularity that most contemporary composers, myself included, only dream of. Although a few of his works, such as Godzilla Eats Las Vegas, rely on gimmicks and effects for much of their popularity, his real success lies in writing music that is advanced and yet not distancing. He knows the importance of a memorable line, of poignant counterpoint and harmonies, and of the balance of textures.

Whitacre's Lux Aurumque, or Light and Gold, is typical of many of the works on the disc; somewhat slow moving but lovely counterpoint utilizing a short, recognizable motive, performed without accompaniment and more than a little reminiscent of a late Renaissance motet. It's hard to argue with beauty like this, and those who loved Gorecki's Symphony of Sorrowful Songs are sure to adore Whitacre's work...but my one objection is that after about half of the CD the pieces take on a certain sameness. Perhaps I'm arguing against the integrity of Whitacre's style--I hope not, though--or maybe it's merely a flaw in programming that could have been addressed by placing the Five Hebrew Songs later on the disc, as these are the most lively of his works here. The Hebrew Songs are among the most conventional of the pieces on this recording (the other being The Seal Lullaby, written for a projected Disney collaboration), and entirely charming.Read more ›

I've been a fan of Eric Whitacre for many years. New recordings of his works always intrigue me as it's interesting to hear each choir and conductor's take on his pieces of music. However, this recording stands out among the rest for two primary reasons. 1)Each piece is conducted and rehearsed by the composer himself. We all can "think" and "interpret" as we hear the music, but hearing the music performed as the composer heard the music while dictating it to paper is truly a gem. For all Eric Whitacre fans, this is the penultimate recording in the catalog. 2)Some of the tempi normally taken by most choirs (as Whitacre usually just gives verbal hints, not tempo markings) are drastically different in some sections. "Leonardo Dreams" particularly stands out as a fresh interpretation that i had never heard on any recording or live performance.

The program notes are wonderful and really help each song come even more alive. Also, the three premier recordings are great to finally hear mastered on a CD. Nox Arumque especially. I've heard this piece sung and have had the music, but this group seemed to really bring out the nuances that i think Whitacre imagined when writing the piece. It moved way up on my "favorite Whitacre pieces" after hearing it on this cd.

In Short: Buy this CD. Whether you're a fan of Whitacre, a fan of Choral Music, or just need a break from reality, this is the CD for you. I've waited a long time for this CD and could not be more pleased with the way it turned out. I highly anticipate the next installment!

Bravo!