THE EARTH & I
NEW AMERICAN CHORAL MUSIC
​

The Washington Master Chorale's first compact disc, The Earth & I, features two pieces commissioned by the Chorale. Lori Laitman's expressive cycle of "word paintings," The Earth & I, based on poems by Emily Dickinson, and Donald J. McCullough's The Eye Begins to See, based on the poetry of Theodore Roethke, anchor a recording that explores humankind's relationship with nature. The 19 tracks feature some of America's most celebrated poets and composer and move seamlessly from the purely whimsical (Norman Dinerstein's An Old Silent Pond), through darkness and introspection (McCullough's The Eye Begins to See), to arrive, finally, at tranquility and spiritual enlightenment (Stephen Chatman's On the Beach at Night Alone). Throughout, the nuanced artistry of the Washington Master Chorale shines through.

PURCHASE ONLINE

  • Track List
  • Credits
  • Reviews
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  1. Lori Laitman (b. 1955) - The Earth & I (2011): The Sun Went Down
  2. The Earth & I: The Sky is Low
  3. The Earth & I: The Wind
  4. Patricia Plude (b. 1957) - October (1978)
  5. Stephen Chatman (b. 1950) - Nature Songs (2007): Autumn Violets
  6. Nature Songs: The Voice of the Rain
  7. Nature Songs: On the Beach at Night Alone
  8. Norman Dinerstein (1937-1982) - Frogs (1979): An Old Silent Pond
  9. Samuel Barber (1910-1981) - To be Sung on the Water, Op. 42, No. 2 (1968)
  10. Barber - Heaven-Haven (A Nun Takes the Veil) (1961)
  11. Kirke Mechem (b. 1925) - Loveliest of Trees (1968)
  12. Ross Lee Finney (1906-1997) - See How the Arched Earth (1947)
  13. Cecil Effinger (1914-1990) - Four Pastorales (1963): No Mark
  14. Four Pastorales: Noon
  15. Four Pastorales: Basket
  16. Four Pastorales: Wood
  17. Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943) - Sure On This Shining Night (2005)
  18. Donald McCullough (b. 1957) - The Eye Begins to See (2012): I. In a dark time
  19. The Eye Begins to See​: II. A steady storm of correspondances

THE EARTH & I
​NEW AMERICAN CHORAL MUSIC

WASHINGTON MASTER CHORALE
Thomas Colohan, conductor
Mark Vogel, piano
Kacy Clopton, cello
Noelle Drewes, oboe

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Recorded on March 11, 18, & 25, 2013
Recording engineer: Edward John Kelly
Recording producers: Joseph Gascho, Elena Tsai
Front photo: Diane Kresh (C&O Canal, Washington, D.C.)
Photo of WMC: Rhianna Victoria Nissen

PUBLISHERS

Laitman The Earth & I - Enchanted Knickers Music (BMI)
Plude October - available directly from the composer
McCullough The Eye Begins to See - McCullough Music Press
Chatman Nature Songs - ECS Publishing
Dinerstein An Old Silent Pond - Carl Fischer, Inc.
Barber To Be Sung On the Water & Heaven-Haven - G. Schirmer, Inc.
Effinger Four Pastorales - G. Schirmer, Inc.
Mechem Loveliest of Trees - Beekman Music, Inc.
Finney See How the Arched Earth - Henmar Press Inc.
Lauridsen Sure On This Shining Night​ - Songs of Peer, Ltd.
This recording was made possible by a generous gift from Diane Kresh in memory of David B.G. Kresh.

Additional kind support was provided by Dr. Adelaide Whitaker and an anonymous donor.
"The Washington Master Chorale is nothing short of radiant...the choral sound [is] positively gorgeous...a fascinating disc."
- Fanfare Magazine​
"...a lush, beautiful sound..."
- ​American Record Guide ​(click to read the full review)

THIS ENDRIS NIGHT
CHRISTMAS WITH THE WASHINGTON MASTER CHORALE

This Endris Night is a feast for the ears. A cornucopia of time-burnished carols, motets, folk ballads, shape-note hymns, and chants, ranging from medieval to modern times. The Washington Master Chorale plumbed its personal favorites to present works by composers from both sides of the Atlantic, from Estonia (Arvo Part, Bogoroditse Djevo) to Minnesota (Stephen Paulus, Three Nativity Carols). The texts are no less diverse, ranging from the 16th century Piae Cantiones to the poetry of Christina Rossetti (In the Bleak Mid-winter) and E.E. Cummings (little tree) and the spiritual writings of Mother Thekla, the longtime muse of the late Sir John Tavener (Today the Virgin). The Chorale's dedication to new music is represented by renowned local composer Russell Nadel's Early Winter Tree, which was commissioned by the WMC. An artful interweaving of harp and voice with a text by American lyric poet Sara Teasdale, the piece evokes both winter's time of loss and the inevitability of spring's rebirth. And no Chorale holiday recording would be complete without selections from Carols for Choirs, the masterful compilation of songs edited by the late Sir David Willcocks, arguably the most influential choirmaster of his generation. This Endris Night is the perfect companion for long winter nights.

PURCHASE ONLINE

  • Track List
  • Credits
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  1. Healey Willan (1880-1968) - Hodie, Christus natus est
  2. Steve Heitzig (b. 1959) - little tree
  3. Arvo Part (b. 1935) - Bogoroditse Dyevo
  4. Russell Nadel (b. 1983) - Early Winter Tree (world premiere recording)
  5. William matthias (1934-1992) - A Babe is Born
  6. Stephen Paulus (1949-2014) - Three Nativity Carols: The Holly & the Ivy
  7. Three Nativity Carols: This Endris Night
  8. Three Nativity Carols: Wonder Tidings
  9. Willan - The Three Kings
  10. John Tavener (1944-2013) - Today the Virgin
  11. Niels La Cour (b. 1944) - 3 Mottetti Latini 1982: Hodie, Christus natus est
  12. David Willcocks, arr. (1919-2015) - The First Nowell
  13. John Jacob Niles, arr. (1892-1980) - Wondrous Love
  14. Es ist ein Ros entsprungen (German, 15th century)
  15. O Tannenbaum (German, 16th century)
  16. Charles Ives (1874-1954) - A Christmas Carol
  17. Gustav Holst (1874-1934), arr. Alice Parker (b. 1925) - In the Bleak Midwinter
  18. Willcocks, arr. - God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen

THIS ENDRIS NIGHT
CHRISTMAS WITH THE WASHINGTON MASTER CHORALE

WASHINGTON MASTER CHORALE
Thomas Colohan, conductor
Rachel Carlson, assistant conductor
Paul Skevington, organ
Susan Robinson, harp
Stephen Nicholas Key, oboe
Curt Armbruster, ​timpani

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Recorded on December 15, 18, & 20, 2015, & January 18, 2016
​Recorded at the Church of the Epiphany, Washington, D.C.
Producer: Geoffrey Silver
Session producer & engineer: Kevin Bourassa