The Douglas Frank Chorale
2001 CARA Winner
BEST
CLASSICAL ALBUM
Amazing microtonally-informed
performances of
J.S. Bach, J.M. Bach &
Andreas Werckmeister
In 1936 the E. C. Schirmer Music Company published a collection of 30 works chosen and edited by its editor-in-chief, Henry Clough-Leighter. This collection, "The A Cappella Singer," became one of the most widely circulated and often printed music anthologies in the 20th century. Its success lay partly in the variety of its works—Italian madrigals, French chansons, English madrigals, even a pair of Russian romantic part-songs. In essence, "The A Cappella Singer" achieved what so many Renaissance collections sought to achieve and did—popularity and demand—with a well-chosen assortment of music from the Renaissance and spanning four centuries as well. Set to texts that are alternately playful, contemplative, bawdy and full of double entendre, these selections can be immediately engaging to performer and audience alike.
The preface to "The A Cappella Singer" by Augustus D. Zanzig notes another goal: "...to bring much of this music in most engaging variety and excellence into schools, colleges, universities, clubs, communities and, best of all, into homes." The last criterion of this goal is exactly the same as in the Renaissance. Then, printed collections were purchased by the upper class and sung at parties in homes. More recently, hearing or participating in a madrigal group will frequently include exposure to "The A Cappella Singer" (the "old war horse," "gray book" or "Bible"). Now, with the first complete recording, four centuries of music meets modern technology, permitting one to discover, rediscover, and enjoy "The A Cappella Singer" whenever one chooses.
The critically acclaimed and award-winning début recording of "The A Cappella Singer" by the Douglas Frank Chorale includes all 30 works and 28 pages of program notes with complete texts and new translations, updated to a contemporary adult sensibility. The editorial markings by H. Clough-Leighter have been observed occasionally, along with new interpretations by the Douglas Frank Chorale.
Reviews
"This professional
choral ensemble from New York is the first to have recorded this
famous collection of Renaissance madrigals and dance tunes
published by E. C. Schirmer in 1936. The book includes fanciful
ditties and serious madrigals by popular composers of the time
(like Morley, Weelkes, Gibbons, Byrd), and the group does them
justice here with lots of expression and fine musicianship.
Fa-la-la-lovely!"
—Don Gooding, a-cappella.com
"The Douglas Frank
Chorale is a marvelous professional group...which brings to
exuberant life one of the best known choral repertoires of last
century."
—John Neal, Primarily A Cappella
"The ensemble singing
is excellent...probably the best collection of madrigals to be
found anywhere."
—Ward Swingle, The Swingle Singers
"This album is a
collection of some of the best music available from the
Renaissance period, almost a greatest hits album, if you will.
'Matona, mia cara' is the essence of what I expect out of an
album of this nature. Great dynamics, diction, style and musical
passion. I dare any chorale in the nation to sing the 'Don, don
don, diri, diri, don, don' refrain better than the Douglas Frank
Chorale. It's just not possible. In 'Rest, Sweet Nymphs,' the
Douglas Frank Chorale creates the texture and haunting melody of
this madrigal almost better than the composer could've imagined.
I think I speak for everyone else in the world by saying, 'Thank
you.' The Douglas Frank Chorale deserves a lot of credit for a
good project. Truly a treasure to add to your music
collection."
—Jonathan Sears, Recorded A Cappella Review Board
"This group truly
shines with beautiful tuning, balance and musicianship. The
singers are talented and very much at home in the various musical
styles they explore. Further, easily maneuvering through
homophonic and contrapuntal settings, through English, French,
German and Italian, these singers are clearly dedicated to their
craft. As a concept, the album is flawless. The extensive liner
notes, replete with both biographical information about each
composer and specific details about each song, greatly enhance
the listening experience. Other groups recording period music
could take a lesson from this album in how to take the edge off
music which, for many less adventurous listeners, is often
discarded as dated, inaccessible and unintelligible...a
must-buy."
—Elie Landau, Recorded A Cappella Review Board
"Congratulations and
thank you to Mr. Frank and The Douglas Frank Chorale for doing
what someone should have done decades ago: recording the immortal
'The A Cappella Singer' front to back. Teachers and directors
will rejoice to finally have a reference for choosing and
teaching 'The A Cappella Singer' pieces in their classrooms. But
the Chorale didn't create some publisher's sampler here. Instead
they expanded and updated the songs 'to a contemporary adult
sensibility' (to quote the marvelous liner notes) all the while
observing traditional balance and voicings. All in all, a worthy
addition to both the casual and professional music library, as a
teaching tool or a soundtrack for a relaxing day at home."
—Brock Harris, Recorded A Cappella Review Board
"Madrigal likers can
bask in the glow of the Douglas Frank Chorale with a CD that has
created a mood, as well as an album. Bright, Renaissance-y choral
music, sung in standard madrigal SATB fashion—that is to
say, with soprano melody and domination—reminds me of high
class Sunday brunches. Light streaming in through a kitchen or
dining room window. Large wooden table with white tablecloth or
embroidered placemats, perhaps some cut flowers or evergreens,
since it is always fall or winter in the high class brunches of
my subconscious. Neatly dressed, educated people milling across
beige carpet or hardwood floors, champagne glasses in hand,
making sleepy small talk or eyeing the kitchen to see when the
food will come out. And cheerful, Englishy choral music wafting
out of aging speakers and misting the whole scene over. It's a
mood—it's not relevant that some of the songs are in German
or French or Italian. They don't even need to be distinguishable.
All that matters is that the chords are in the right places, the
voices are dulcet and trained, and periodically there is a
song—or a lull in conversation, or a distraction—that
makes someone look up and say, 'My, how lovely this music
is.'"
—Rebecca Christie, Recorded A Cappella Review Board
"For those of you who
are very serious about your classical music collection, 'The A
Cappella Singer' and the Douglas Frank Chorale will not
disappoint. Featuring performers who are tops in their field, you
will be happy you finally found this CD."
—ArkivMusic, Classical Music
"The A Cappella Singer" CD Track List
Total Time 60:57