Something borrowed, something blue...

In honor of this first post of the New Year, I shall review something...old.

Le Nozze Di Figaro is my favorite opera. Granted, I don't know a whole lot of opera. I blame this on the fact that my very first experience with opera was a terrible production of La Boheme when I was about 13 years old. It was long, it was dull, it was poorly sung, and it had no supertitles, so I was confused, bored, and lost. I determined then and there that opera was not for me, and it was not until many years later when I started pursuing music seriously as a discipline that I discovered that opera is, in fact, kind of awesome. And very fun to sing.

I have a soft spot in my heart for La Nozze, partly because I am familiar with and really like the French play (and its prequel, The Barber of Seville) from my days as a Theatre Studies major, and partly because I saw a fantastic production of it at Utah Opera, but mostly because the first aria I ever sang, "Deh vieni, non tardar," is from this opera. And also, one of my favorite duets that I have ever performed, "Sull'aria," is also from this opera. So, yeah, I like the Mozart.

My dad picked me up a recording of Le Nozze at a library book sale for a dollar. What a shame that nobody was checking this out (and it doesn't look as if anyone ever has, based on the wear and tear---or lack of it---on the booklet and CDs themselves), and what a shame that it was being practically given away...but what a great find for me! Featuring Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau as the count, Gundula Janowitz as the countess, Edith Mathis as Susanna, and Hermann Prey as Figaro, this recording, made in 1968, sounds just as great today as I'm sure it did then. Everyone's voices are clear and bright, and the music is flawlessly performed by singers and musicians alike.

One of my favorite things about this recording is how everyone performs their chunks of recitative. Sometimes I'm not wild about the way certain arias are performed; I do think "Deh vieni" is a little lacking in energy and "Sull'aria" drags a bit for my taste, and at times, Ms. Janowitz' vibrato sounds a little constricted to me. But every single recitative is incredibly fun to listen to. Everyone sings their lines with such conversational ease. I don't speak Italian. I'm don't have the libretto memorized. Frankly, it's been a while since I've seen or read it, and I can't remember all the finer points of the plot and dialogue (and it's kind of confusing!). But I feel like I can understand what's going on just by the inflection these wonderful performers give their lines. Recitative can make or break an opera, in my opinion. If the singers don't really know what they're saying or aren't really comfortable with the language, it just becomes laborious and dry. But it's clear that every single one of these performers knows exactly what they're saying and how to say it. It's a joy to listen to.

If you think you don't like opera, give this one a chance. I think you might change your mind. And then see what else your library is selling for a dollar...and give me a call so I can clean them out.

Shameless self-promotion

I know, I know. No post forever and then this? Shameless self-promotion? Disgusting!

It's true, and I apologize. But I'll continue with the shamelessness anyway.

Not long ago, I wrote this post about the University of Utah Singers, so I don't need to go into all that background again. Instead, I'll get right to it and explain that Carol of Joy is our newest album--the first one I am on!--and I'm very excited about it.

This is a Christmas CD and features every kind of carol you can imagine, from the traditional "Ding Dong, Merrily on High" to the show choir-esque "Need a Little Christmas" to the ward choir-y "Were You There" to the brand new (and beautiful) title track "Carol of Joy." I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet and believe me, I'm a staunch believer in no Christmas music until after that November holiday. But I also think it's stupid to buy new Christmas albums and give them on Christmas day, because then you don't get all the joy of listening to them leading up to Christmas.

So yes, I want to sell you this CD. I want you to buy it. I want you to buy multiple copies (*grin*), because as I stated in that other post, I do get credit toward helping me pay for tour. But I'm also all about full disclosure, so let me tell you the down sides of this album.

"Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" is absolutely the weakest cut on this album. The balance is ridiculously bad, and some high soprano (whose name shall not be mentioned on this blog, EVER) took it as a personal challenge to make the last note, uh, shall we say, featured. It's a pity, because the arrangement is really quite stunning. The Rutter carol "Mary's Lullaby" features that same soprano when she refuses to breathe with the rest of the choir. Yeah. "What Sweeter Music Can We Bring?" is also not...great. And there are some (legitimate) solo moments on "'Round the Glory Manger" that I don't particularly care for.

But that's, what, four tracks out of 23? Those are some pretty good odds that you'll find more to like here than dislike. "Sing We Now of Christmas" is my absolute favorite, and "El Rorro" is pretty good, too. And the words to "In Silent Night" are really, really nice.

Overall, I think it's worth having, and I'm not just sayin' that. So if you'd like to buy one, or two, or five hundred, let me know! You can order via the link above (where there is also a special sale going on--all three U of U Singers Christmas albums for $35)--if you do this, be sure to list my name as your referral--or you can order directly through me.

Happy (early) holidays, and Merry (early) Christmas, and thus ends this edition of Shameless Self-Promotion.

P.S. You can listen to a few samples here.

*swoon*

In the spirit of unfairly compartmentalizing people, allow me to tell you that you will fit into one of the following categories. In order of most to least shameful:

1. You have never even heard of Brian Stokes Mitchell.

2. You hadn't heard of him until recently, because, say, you went to a Tabernacle Choir concert where he was performing, and now you really like him.

3. You knew who he was years ago and have been singing his praises forever.

I refuse to admit the existence of a fourth category (which, incidentally, would be the most shameful of all, and would therefore be labeled as zero): you don't like Brian Stokes Mitchell. For shame.

If you are in category one, you most certainly need to get yourself into category two, and work your way into category three. Even if you're in category three, you might only know him because of his Broadway work (Ragtime, Kiss Me, Kate, Man of La Mancha...I could go on). And his Broadway work is fantastic. But you really need to check out his debut solo CD.

Almost all of the songs on this CD are indeed showtunes, but they're performed as if they're all jazz tunes. "Something's Coming," from West Side Story, is a fusion of Spanish dance and jazz--I defy you to listen and not tap your feet. I don't really care for Sondheim as a general rule, but I could listen to Brian Stokes Mitchell sing "Being Alive" forever. And my favorite tune on the album isn't a showtune at all: "Life is Sweet" is the peppiest, swingy-est, scatty-est jazz number ever, and you'll have to push "repeat." It's that good.

Brian Stokes Mitchell can sing anything, I swear. His voice is amazingly rich and so very expressive. (Hence the reason that the paring of him and Audra McDonald in Ragtime is so great--but that's for another post.) It will make you all melty inside. Even if you think you don't like jazz or showtunes, this album will change your mind. Do yourself a huge favor and pick it up. Because you can't have mine. It's autographed! Swoon, indeed.

Music to Be Busy By

Whew! It's been a crazy month (and it ain't over yet)--hence the complete dearth of posts. I've been spending very little time at home and quite a bit of time in my car, where this CD has been living.

I'll be up front with you: I sing with the University of Utah Singers. You may think this fact makes me a little biased. (It probably does.) But I did not belong to the group when they recorded A Jubilant Song, so you have to believe me when I tell you that this CD is fantastic.

This entirely acappella CD was recorded shortly after the Singers won the grand prize in what amounts to the World Series of choral singing. (Nerd heaven!) They were at the top of their game, and if they sound a little vocally tired in a few tracks, we can hardly blame them---it was the very end of a month-long tour during which they sang around 40 pieces with pretty severe regularity. But these little hiccups are so rare that you probably won't even notice them as you revel in the absolutely gorgeous sounds on this album.

Since the music on this CD ranges from the incredibly difficult (like "Rytmus" and "Psalm 96") to the astoundingly beautiful (like "Pilgrims' Hymn") to folk songs and spirituals (Moses Hogan makes an appearance) to the super eclectic (like Asian folk music), I am not ashamed to use the cliche saying that there really is something for everyone here.

You can listen to samples at the link above, and purchase from that site as well. And a shameless plug for me: should you decide to buy that CD (or any of the other six currently available, or the new Christmas CD being released at the end of October, please mention my name. We're going on tour in the spring and I get $10 of every $15 sale deposited directly to my tour account. Hooray for fundraising!

I promise, though, even if I didn't get money off the sale, I'd recommend this album. It's really, really good. Now, if you'll pardon me, I think I have to go drive somewhere...

An oxymoron? No!

For decades it was considered negative to be nerdy. Pocket protectors, taped glasses, pegged pants--these are not images of ourselves we want anyone to see. (Not that I have any. Okay, except for the pegged pants.) But no more! It is indeed possible to be nerdy and beautiful! That is, if you're a CD of choral music.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am probably the biggest choir nerd on the planet, so it should come as no surprise to you that I have finally included some choral music on this blog. In fact, you're probably more surprised that it took so long. Anyway, I've been listening to Morten Lauridsen's Lux Aeternalately, and I think you should, too.

Lauridsen is a modern composer, but don't let the word "modern" scare you (it usually scares me--echoes of horrible atonal music dance in my ears). He writes incredibly lush, tight harmonies that are an absolute joy to hear. They give me goosebumps. And yes, I'm a nerd. But the music on this CD, particularly the Lux Aeterna set and "O Magnum Mysterium" (my personal favorite), is very, very beautiful.

It's all performed by a professional British choir called Polyphony, and they are very good. Sometimes the tenors go a little crazy, but they're tenors--it's what they do. We can forgive them. And sometimes I feel like they're just singing the notes. They do this very well--they always sound good--but sometimes I wish there was a little more...emotion. A little more ebb and flow in the musical line. This is particularly noticeable to me in "O Nata Lux," part of Lux Aeterna, but I could just be prejudiced because I know and love another recording of that piece.

Anyway, overall this is a very, very good CD and any lover of good music should check it out. Join the nerdy side. It's nice here.

When I grow up, I'm going to be Audra McDonald.

Of course, there are a few problems with that plan, but darn it if I'm not going to try.

If you haven't heard of Audra McDonald and you 1) like good singers and/or 2) like musical theater and/or 3) appreciate good music, you are missing out. Allow me to enlighten you with a review of one of her many contributions to the music scene: Build a Bridge.

This album, released in 2006, features songs by artists as diverse as Burt Bacharach, John Mayer, Neil Young, and Randy Newman, all performed to perfection by Audra McDonald. Her solo voice is impressive in not only its physical range (she's got the high notes and the low notes, all the time), but also its emotional expression. For example, she sings "Bein' Green" (yes, Kermit's song) with such heart that you feel like important life decisions are being made, and follows it with "Tom Cat Goodbye," where the anger toward a cheating husband is very clear, and then changes to "I Think It's Going to Rain Today," which is so forlorn that you wonder how she made it through the recording.

Yeah--this album not so much for the depressed. It's extremely mellow. Which isn't a bad thing--not at all. It's just a fact. If you're already feeling really mellow and you simply must listen to this album, then I suggest you put "Wonderful You" on repeat, because it is a very happy, peppy song. In fact, it almost seems out of place on this album filled with heart-wrenching pieces. It's kind of a breath of fresh air.

I love this album even though it has such a sad tone. Audra McDonald's voice is endlessly listenable. Do yourself a favor and check her out.

I'm not ashamed!

I admit it. When I first felt the urge to buy this album, I was embarrassed. After feverishly searching through the racks at the store to find their lone copy (and being ridiculously excited when I did), I fervently wished for a self-check out station. I felt like I needed to justify my purchase to the clerk.

But no more! I am proud of the fact that I own the soundtrackto Christopher Guest's film A Mighty Wind, and I don't care who knows it!

The eighteen tracks on this disc are all original, excepting "Start Me Up," which is a Rolling Stones song (and, incidentally, the only track that I skip almost every time). I don't know much about the folk music of the '60s, but I'm told that the rest of these songs are near-perfect parodies and homages to such groups as The Kingston Trio and The New Christy Minstrels. At any rate, they're great songs, ranging from one of the best love songs ever ("When You're Next to Me," which, if it's possible, is actually going to wear out on my CD), to the bizarrely historical ("Skeletons of Quinto"), to war protests ("The Ballad of Bobby and June"), and everything in between.

The New Main Street Singers definitely have the most cheesy songs on the album, but even if you don't like their lyrics (the hilarious "Good Book Song" is one of my favorites), you've got to admire their tight harmonies and all around good musical production. The Folksmen are their polar opposites, as evidenced in the two versions of "Never Did No Wanderin'," both of which are enjoyable in different ways. But my favorite group is Mitch and Mickey. I'm only slightly embarrassed to say that were there entire Mitch and Mickey albums available, I'd buy them.

Plus, one of the songs on this disc, Mitch and Mickey's "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow," was nominated for an Oscar. So, hey, I'm not the only one.

Buy this album. Embrace your inner faux-folk enthusiast!

Something to Someone

Everything to Everyone is the only Barenaked Ladies album I own. Not that I wouldn't like to have more. It's just that I don't buy CDs very often because I'm really picky, and when I do go to buy a new CD, I can never decide what to get and never remember what I want, and usually end up buying a movie or some sheet music instead. But anyway.

If you're only going to have one BNL album, Everything to Everyone isn't a bad one to own. It really is everything to everyone. There's the Super Peppy Eighties Tribute Slash Political Satire "Shopping," there's the Strangely Cruel Love Ballad "Have You Seen My Love," there's the Almost A Bluegrass Tune "For You" (my very favorite cut on the album), and even The Song With Typically Funny BNL Lyrics "Another Postcard." And there's all sorts of other stuff, too.

This is an album that I can listen to for a week straight with nothing else mixed in and not get sick of. It's good times. Plus, you gotta admire a band that can write rhyming lyrics using words like "unencumbered," "circumspection," and "lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala." Those are five dollar words, man.

Oh my goodness, they're FUNCTIONAL!

So, I just saw Dan in Real Life, and I liked it quite a bit. I guess it'd be classified as a romantic comedy, but I think it's a bit more of a drama with some laughs thrown in. What it is above all is very sweet.

And what I couldn't get over was that here was this big, happy family all spending a week together...and they were a completely functional family. Completely. How often do you see that in movie and TV these days? I can't remember the last time..."Cosby," maybe?

At any rate, this is a delightful little film.

Oh, and the soundtrack is a real winner, too. Mellow, upbeat, emotional, and quirky all at the right places.