Albums
“magic and sparkle” “enviable smoothness and sumptuosity of tone” **** BBC Music Magazine
“expertly blended, chestnuts-roasting-on-an-open-fire sound” Gramophone
This is a Christmas album that has a sense of place, clearly identifying the Chorale as both American and from a border state with Mexico, and something for everyone whether they prefer serious or light festive fare. There is Hispanic influence in the repertoire choices, which include Catalan folksongs as well as Hispanic Renaissance music. It includes a commission by Cecilia McDowall, written for Christmas 2021, new arrangements of all tracks and also some contemporary Christmas favourites such as Sleigh Ride and Jingle Bells. This marks the Chorale’s return to recording following an 8-year hiatus, and their first album with Signum Records.
“Festive repertoire plays an important role in the performance cycle of every choir, and it felt fitting to begin our journey with a Christmas recording that established a sense of place for the ensemble: we chose to record repertoire that is all American or Hispanic in origin, save for the newly-commissioned piece by Cecilia McDowall that was written to mark the centenary of our home in Phoenix, Trinity Cathedral. Our aim is to translate the warmth of Arizona into our sound, to convey the rhetoric of every text, and celebrate the good health of the American Choral Tradition.”
– Christopher Gabbitas
Watch these You Tube interviews to learn more!
British composer Cecilia McDowall about ‘Trinity Triptych’
Phoenix-based composer Tom Peterson about ‘A Quiet Chamber’
Phoenix-based composer Kira Zeeman Rugen about arranging ‘Wexford Carol’