Remember: 130 Years of Canadian Choral Music Toronto Mendelssohn Choir & Jean Sébastien Vallée

In an age when church attendance in England was flourishing, Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810–1876) was one of the foremost composers and organists of his day. Taking advantage of new developments in instrument building, Wesley was able to push the boundaries of English church music in a new direction, encompassing a more ambitious, even operatic style. In this recording – the first to have been made using an organ similar in design to his own – Wesley’s music is brought to vibrant life by the young professional singers of Holy Sepulchre under conductor Toby Ward.

World renowned conductor Paul Hillier leads the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir through Rachmaninov’s magnificent "All-Night Vigil", often regarded as the capstone of Orthodox Church music. The breathtaking reading builds on a serene affirmation of religious faith, adding an array of timbral and harmonic effects and virtuosic techniques.

In an age when church attendance in England was flourishing, Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810–1876) was one of the foremost composers and organists of his day. Taking advantage of new developments in instrument building, Wesley was able to push the boundaries of English church music in a new direction, encompassing a more ambitious, even operatic style. In this recording – the first to have been made using an organ similar in design to his own – Wesley’s music is brought to vibrant life by the young professional singers of Holy Sepulchre under conductor Toby Ward.

World renowned conductor Paul Hillier leads the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir through Rachmaninov’s magnificent "All-Night Vigil", often regarded as the capstone of Orthodox Church music. The breathtaking reading builds on a serene affirmation of religious faith, adding an array of timbral and harmonic effects and virtuosic techniques.

Choral singing enjoys astonishing vitality in the United States of America. Alongside Bernstein’s prodigious Chichester Psalms, Barber’s Two Choruses, and Erb’s much-loved arrangement of Shenandoah, Graham Ross and the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge introduce us to the colourful works of the younger generation of composers on the other side of the Atlantic. A splendid panorama of American choral music from the post-war period to the present day.

This Hyperion release features Handel's Coronation Anthems & Ceremonial Music by Purcell, Blow, Tallis, Gibbons, Farmer and Child. The complete reconstruction with a plethora of trumpet fanfares, drum processions, shouts of acclamation and pealing bells.

A selection of sacred and Christmas choral music published by Oxford University Press in Spring 2021, performed and recorded by renowned choral group, The Gesualdo Six. Includes music by Rutter, Quartel, and McGlade. “Ingeniously programmed and impeccably delivered, with that undefinable excitement that comes from a group of musicians working absolutely as one.” (Gramophone)

Stax’s proximity to the Civil Rights Movement and struggle for black American liberation was well established prior to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., mere city blocks away from the label’s headquarters. It deepened thereafter, as Stax label head Al Bell forged an ongoing partnership with King confidante Rev. Jesse Jackson. Around the same time that Jackson spun off his own Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) from the Southern Christian Leadership Council’s Operation Breadbasket, he’d also ascended as a household name, thanks to the success of a recording of his signature litany, “I Am Somebody.” A recording of the speech, made famous by Jackson at rallies and meetings in Chicago, had gained notoriety nationwide with the help of its own Stax Records LP.

Of Monsters & Men are Icelandic group that meshes chamber pop with dramatic, highly composed indie rock. After two years of touring, writing music and developing their sound, the award winning band is back with a more complex and compelling sound that is sure to excite their fans and draw in listeners across the world.

A Word from Monique Richard, Artistic Director: The Choeur Louisbourg is delighted to present Tapisserie canadienne aux couleurs d’Acadie, a musical program featuring Acadian and Francophone musical and literary works from New Brunswick. This program reflects the choir’s commitment to promote contemporary music, particularly the music of the Acadian and Francophone communities from across our province. We hope these new and lesser-known choral works will become more commonplace in the repertoire of Canadian choral music.