Camille Saint-Saëns Symphony No.3 “The Organ”-Charles Dutoit/Montreal Symphony
This symphony by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns uses a pipe organ in the last two of the four-part symphony. It is a magnificent piece with an amazingly moving theme in the fourth part of the symphony. Saint-Saëns uses the piano as a shimmering complement to the orchestra and orchestra to create a wonderful piece of music. The theme can be heard in the movie Babe.
Ralph Vaughan Williams Mass in G Minor; Motets
This CD consists of the mass in g minor as well as a number of motets for unaccompanied voices (a capella). It is written for double choir with four solo voices. Though Vaughan Williams is a 20th century composer, the piece sounds like something straight out of the rennaissance. It is actually the first mass written in the “English” style since the 16th century. The chord progressions are anything but predictable, as is the case with a lot of Vaughan Williams’ music. It is a true stroke of genius and is not a typical choir piece. The motets are also incredible works.
Favorite tracks: Gloria In Excelsis, O Vos Omnes (motet).
Vespers- Sergei Rachmaninoff
This is to me perhaps the most spiritual pieces of classical music ever composed. It is written for unaccompanied four part choir including basso profondo. If you want heart chakra music, this is it. It is so Russian— sad yet uplifting; sorrowful but absolutely glorious. Vespers is liturgical text from the Russian Orthodox Church used as an all-night vigil. Rachmaninoff wrote it based on chanting, and it really turns into a meditation. This is an all-time favorite of mine. It has great use of the basso profundo (known as Russian basses) and gives the piece a rumble that resonates deep into your core. While decent recordings have been made of this, (Robert Shaw Festival Singers for one) the Russian recordings are the best. Leave it to the Russians to get their own music right. This is best listened to in its entirety.
