The River of Jordan [CD-single]

The River of Jordan [CD-single]

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Gwendolyn Fields is a new name in bluegrass music. You are invited to sit down and enjoy her angelic voice--clear, crisp, and clean like a flowing stream.

Product Description
"The River Of Jordan" and "Angel's Lullaby", is Gwendolyn's first "Single Release" and is now available to the public for the first time. Gwendolyn can be heard on the Blue Grass and Americana Radio Networks.

The River of Jordan,Gwendolyn Fields,The Orchard,5"CD Singles,Folk,Folk & Traditional,New Age,Pop

Deep River
Average customer rating:

Oil and Water...

a little too wobbly for me

A replacement for Robert Shaw

The Best Recording by One of our Finest Choral Ensembles

Wonderful Ensemble

Deep River
Adam Reinwald , Alan Dunbar , Kelvin Chan , Timothy Takach , Harry T. (Henry) Burleigh , William Levi Dawson , Jester Hairston , John W. II Work , Albert Jordan , Brad Erbes , Brian Arreola , Michael Hanawalt , Peter Zvanovec , and Cantus Male Ensemble
Manufacturer: Cantus
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Let Your Voice Be Heard

...Against the Dying of the Light

The Spirituals Of William L. Dawson (#2159)

Comfort and Joy: Volume One

Comfort & Joy: Volume Two

ASIN: B0000V8G1O
Release Date: 2003-10-01

Tracks:

Ezekiel Saw the Wheel: Harry T. Burleigh
Heaven, Heaven: Harry T. Burleigh
Poor Man Lazrus: Jester Hairston
King Jesus Is A-Listening: William Dawson
In His Care-O: William Dawson
This Ol' Hammer: John W. Work III
Great God A'mighty: Jester Hairston
Were You There?: Harry T. Burleigh
There is a Balm in Gilead: William Dawson
Deep River: Harry T. Burleigh
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot: William Dawson
My Lord, What a Morning: Harry T. Burleigh
Steal Away: William Dawson
Soon ah-Will Be Done: William Dawson
Ain't a That Good News: William Dawson
Ev'ry Time I Feel The Spirit: William Dawson
In That Great Getting' Up Morning: Jester Hairston

Album Description

Cantus proudly announces the release of "Deep River," a treasury of African-American Spirituals. The Spiritual represents the musical melting pot of America like no other type of song by at once revealing its African roots while reflecting the American experience with music that speaks of both hardship and hope. The album features some of the most beloved American folk songs such as "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel", "Were You There", "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" and "Soon-ah Will Be Done." "Deep River" also delves into the roots of American roots music by exclusively featuring music by the preeminent first and second generation African-American composers - Harry T. Burleigh, William Dawson, John W. Work and Jester Hairston - in both well known and long forgotten arrangements of these immortal songs. Recorded by Stereophile Magazine editor John Atkinson in 24 bit sound, "Deep River" is a treat for the ears and a balm for the soul.

Customer Reviews:

Oil and Water..........2005-10-05

Don't Get me wrong... Cantus is one of the finest male chamber choirs around right now. They do marvelous work and cover a wide variety. Unfortunately, spirituals are not exactly Cantus's strongest suit. The biggest hindrance to this recording is that Cantus does not effectively capture the "spirit" of a spiritual. The music almost sounds funny because the spirituals are sung with very traditional, very trained classical voices. I love hearing people sing who were trained very meticulously to sing well, but I don't want to hear someone sing "Ezekiel Saw de Wheel" like Pavoratti. It sounds really funny and doen't capture the character of the music.
Another issue that I have with this recording (and most of Cantus's other recordings at that) is that it was recorded so softly. I don't like to have to feel like I am cranking my speakers to hear the music effectively. Being an active listener, I like to listen to music loud just because I can hear more layers when its loud. The low recording volume on the CD really hinders the active listening experience, leaving the CD to lend itself to the purpose of background music and passive listening.
Also, the first 5 arrangements on the disc are fairly bland. They are lack variety and musicality. Only until "Great God Almighty" comes around does the listener truly become exposed to really good choral writing. Other standing out arrangements are "Where You There?" which is absolutely moving, "There Is A Balm In Gilead" which is very well written, "Deep River" which is so tranquil and relaxing, and "Soon Ah Will Be Done" and "In His Care-O" are great bouncy arrangements.
Essentially, Cantus and Spirituals are just oil and water: they don't mix so well. Aside from a hand full of bland arrangements and a very low mixing job the CD only has one real hindrance of a problem: Cantus doesn't make the distinction between Spirituals and Brahms.

a little too wobbly for me.......2005-03-03

I am familiar with this group and their origins with the world famous St. Olaf Choir of Northfield, MN. While the singers are obviously talented, I felt like I was listening to 11 "solo" singers, rather than a tight ensemble. Way too much individual vibrato even considering the free-flowing genre of the music. I don't want them to be as "tight" as San Francisco's "Chanticleer", but holy smoke, there has got to be something in the middle. Maybe an association with Dale Warland would help, because they obviously have great potential.

A replacement for Robert Shaw.......2004-12-03

Many years ago I had a vinyl record by the Robert Shaw Chorale the title of which was "Deep River." I've been waiting for it to be reissued on cd and have purchased many recordings of negro spirituals on cd hoping to find one where the performance could be compared favorably with the Robert Shaw recording. All of the tries were busts until I found this one. Wow!!! This is a super recoridng of those spirituals. The only thing it lacks is the female voices but thi group of males needs to make no apologies. I love this cd.

The Best Recording by One of our Finest Choral Ensembles.......2004-10-24

"Take this Hammer,' "Steal Away," and "My Lord What a Morning" are just three of the acappella treasures recorded in a warm, natural accoustic by these nine superb singers from Minnesota. The arrangements they've chosen are as complex and moving as their source lyrics and melodies, and the the 24-bit recording by John Atkinson is as good as you get.

It's not easy to make spirituals sound fresh, dynamic and viscerally affecting. But that's exactly what Cantus has done. This is choral singing of the highest order recorded by a master of recorded sound.

I do hope Cantus continues to record on this or another independent label. A big music conglomerate would just glitz it up.

These young men have accomplished so many splendid things on their own over the past nine years, and this release is their best by far.

Wonderful Ensemble.......2004-04-15

I bought "let Your Voice Be Heard" some time ago and really loved the interpretations, the virtuosity of the singing and the clarity of the recording. I'm a Stereophile subscriber and read the articles by Atkinson regarding the recording sessions - they take great care to do a good job and it shows.

This CD is compelling, if you like choral music you will love this disc. Listen to it a few times and you will go away singing.

Tracks:

In The Beginning - Luretta Bybee
Simple Gifts
The Boatmen's Dance
At The River
Zion's Walls
Ching-A-Ring-Chaw
Help Us, O Lord
Thou, O Jehovah, Abideth Forever
Have Mercy On Us, O My Lord
Sing Ye Praises To Our King
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
The Morning Star
Green Fields
Death 'Tis A Melancholy Day
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus
Benedictus
Agnus Dei
Tribulationes Civitatum
De Profundis
When I Survey The Bright Celestial Sphere

Album Description

Celebrating the centenary of Aaron Copland's birth, Gloriae Dei Cantores presents a broad spectrum of choral music by Aaron Copland and Virgil Thomson. These two musical giants exemplified the ideals of American culture and established a truly American style for music. The centerpiece for this recording is the first American recording in many years of Copland's choral masterpiece In the Beginning, featuring American mezzo-soprano Luretta Bybee.

Tracks:

Sail Away Ladies/Sail Back Home Again
Scotty
Luther/The Last Straw
The Word in Edgewise
Lit Splickety/ I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Pony Boy
Dirk's Escape
Woody of the Lake
Armin's Socks/Sliding Up the Bannister
Buckeye
New Valley Forge/ Sandy's Shoes
Madolin Boomerang
Race the River Jordan

Album Description

A collection of interesting original tunes that are performed in a good, hard-driving way and played both in and with the structure of traditional Southern fiddle music. A coherent suite of tunes, cinematically evoking varied moods and places.

Customer Reviews:

Superlatives fail me..........2003-04-10

On a scale of 1 - 10, this album just plain runs way off of the scale! I'll say at the outset: you won't find anything even vaguely neutral in this review. Well, yes, you don't know me and I don't know you, so it's hard to know if you can trust me. But this CD is such an intoxicatingly profound statement of creativity, that I suggest you just take the gamble and LUNGE for it!

OK, so I am an old-time fiddler, but I like a wide variety of music, and this collection has a broad base of appeal for anyone who likes acoustic music. The first tune is a fresh spin on a traditional tune: Sail Away Ladies. However Molly Tennenbaum's luscious banjo opening provides a tantalizing appetizer of what is to follow. By the time this tune melts into the first of Mark's creations, you'll be hooked. The compositions keep unfolding with a freshness and variety of rhythms that runs far afield of traditional music, and poses the dilemma of being clearly new yet always seeming almost familiar.

It's truly an all-star cast of traditional musicians that blend into an extraordinarily fluid sound as different instruments weave in and out. Fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass, piano, flute, and a variety of special sounds provide a tapestry that is complex, and yet never over powering. The melodies are intricate and well crafted with deft but unexpected twists and turns. Just as you think you've got it, a fresh variation emerges to delight you. The chord progressions provide a setting which is the sonic equivalent of a roller-coaster ride.

Most of the tunes are strung together into medleys of two or three that seem to follow so approriately that they seem like movements of a symphony. Yet the dates in the liner notes make it clear that they were written at over a fairly wide period.

When this CD is over, I always find myself going back to the beginning to hear it again. And now, I'm hooked on learning all the chords for guitar and working out the fiddle parts just for the pleasure of admiring the craftsmanship, as you would run your hand appreciatingly over the curves of a scupture in a museum (when the guard isn't looking).

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 (Part III) For Double Orchestra - Wing Wah Chan
Intermezzo For Orchestra And Three Tone Colours - Dun Tan
Third Movement: Allegro - Joseph Banowetz
Mong Dong - Michael Rippon
Second Movement: Andante Sostenuto - Jordan Tang
Third Movement: Allegro - Jordan Tang
Moon Over The West River - Xiaogang Ye

Average customer rating:

Burleigh: Deep River

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Average customer rating:

Favorite Spirituals

Manufacturer: Vanguard Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000023E7
Release Date: 1998-11-03

Tracks:

The Life Of Christ: Prologue: Prepare Me One Body
The Life Of Christ: Christ's Birth, Boyhood And Ministry: Three Wise Men To Jerusalem Came
The Life Of Christ: Christ's Birth, Boyhood And Ministry: Lit'l Boy
The Life Of Christ: Christ's Birth, Boyhood And Ministry: Live A-Humble
The Life Of Christ: Christ's Birth, Boyhood And Ministry: He Raised Poor Lazarus
The Life Of Christ: Christ's Birth, Boyhood And Ministry: You Hear The Lambs A-Cryin'
The Life Of Christ: Christ's Birth, Boyhood And Ministry: Plenty Good Room
The Life Of Christ: The Passion Of Our Lord: One Of You Shall Betray Me
The Life Of Christ: The Passion Of Our Lord: Who Betrayed My Lord?
The Life Of Christ: The Passion Of Our Lord: They Led My Lord Away
The Life Of Christ: The Passion Of Our Lord: He Never Said A Mumberlin' Word
The Life Of Christ: The Passion Of Our Lord: Did You Hear When Jesus Rose?
The Life Of Christ: Epilogue: Were You There?
My Songs: I'll Make Me A Man
My Songs: Let My People Go!
My Songs: Deep River
My Songs: Lit' David, Play On Your Harp
My Songs: Dry Bones
My Songs: Give-A Way Jordan
My Songs: Two Wings
My Songs: A Witness
My Songs: Heard Of A City Called Heaven
My Songs: You Must Come In By And Through The Lamb
My Songs: Steal Away
My Songs: Dream Of Heaven: A. Going Up To Heaven
My Songs: Dream of Heaven: B. You're Tired, Child
My Songs: Dream of Heaven: C. Lord, Is This Heaven?
My Songs: Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel
My Songs: I'm Troubled
My Songs: Heaven

Average customer rating:

The River of Jordan
Gwendolyn Fields
Manufacturer: The Orchard
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004ZDTK
Release Date: 2000-09-12

Tracks:

Angel's Lullaby
River of Jordan

Product Description

"The River Of Jordan" and "Angel's Lullaby", is Gwendolyn's first "Single Release" and is now available to the public for the first time. Gwendolyn can be heard on the Blue Grass and Americana Radio Networks.