“From the Land of Sky Blue Waters” – A new compact disc released by VocalEssence
Purchase the CD at Gothic Records
“The state’s foremost choral ambassadors have just released a CD that
lends their lush, full-voiced sound to an expansive variety of
Minnesota-made music.”—Rob Hubbard, Pioneer Press
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.
(October 28, 2011) – In conjunction with the current North Star Tour of Minnesota, VocalEssence is releasing a new CD, From the Land of Sky Blue Waters, on
the Clarion label. Enjoy the voices of the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers as
they explore the state’s unique legacy of traditional, choral and popular
song…from “The Songs of Our Grandparents”’ to “The North Star Hit Parade,”
from Stephen Paulus to Prince.
“When it comes to choral music, and all the treasures we
have in composers and choral ensembles, there is no state like Minnesota. As
the Ensemble Singers set out to tour six Minnesota communities this fall, it
quickly became evident that the music we were rehearsing would make a wonderful
CD,” says VocalEssence artistic director Philip Brunelle. “We couldn’t resist
the opportunity to make a recording as a souvenir of the North Star Tour.”
Lovely songs like “Danny Boy” (arr. Joseph Flummerfelt), “The Day Is Done” (Stephen Paulus),
“Beautiful Star” (Libby Larsen) and “My Beloved Is Mine” (Chris deBlasio)
contrast with up-tempo pieces like “El Hambo” (Jaakko Mäntyjärvi) and “God’s
Bottles” (Randall Thompson).
The 1800s are brought to life with a medley called Songs of Our Grandparents, a romp
through the state’s immigrant roots with songs like “Oleana,” “In Heaven There
Is No Beer,” “Hälsa dem där hemma” and “Die Lorelei.” Every person who sang a
note in a college choir — in this state of famous college choirs — will join in
singing F. Melius Christiansen’s “Beautiful Savior.”
But the most fun is to be had in a medley of Minnesota’s pop
songs called The North Star Hit Parade,
traversing the state’s connection to the national top 40 charts. Sample music made
ubiquitous by The Merry Macs (“Sentimental Journey”), Judy Garland “Somewhere
Over the Rainbow”), Bob Dylan (“Blowin’ in the Wind”) and Prince (“Purple
Rain”) — all the way to Owl Cities’ “Fireflies” and Semisonic’s “Closing Time.”
Even some of Minnesota’s best-known products are included with a salute to
Hamm’s Beer (“From the Land of Sky Blue Waters”) and “The SPAM Song” (courtesy
Monty Python).
For a press/promotional copy of the CD and further
information, please contact Malia Cole at VocalEssence (mcole@vocalessence.org,
612-547-1459).