I don't think there is anybody alive today that conducts this piece better than René Clausen. Luscious. Prayerful. Pleading. Powerful. Hopeful. My heart aches, yet fills when I listen to this.
Beautifully sung by this choir, 'My Song In The Night" is one of my very favorite choir anthems. Some of the words are from Psalm 42:8; it is a prayer unto itself.
Until recently, I had never heard this anthem. It is awesome and beautifully restful. Yes, Jesus is our song in the night but better yet our Savior, Redeemer and Friend.
Long ago, in high school, we performed this piece. Our director was a Concordia Moorhead graduate, having studied under Paul J. Christiansen and also having performed under Paul J. Since high school, fifty years ago, I have performed this piece once. I'm overdue. Such a beautiful work. Nicely done, choir.
Clausen absolutely elevates this piece with his interpretation. I've often felt that it was somewhat lacking in terms of form, but the way he and the chorus really lean into all of the variances in tempo and volume more than overcome what I once thought of as the limitations of the page. Given the fact that Clausen is currently occupying the post created by Christiansen himself, I'm forced to admit that this is probably how the piece has always been meant to be performed, and the "limitations" were my own.Anyway, I've always wanted this piece to give me chills, and now it finally has.
You bring up a really good point about Paul J Chritiansen's arrangements: on paper if not interpreted in his way they can look very uninteresting. This is true of this piece and King of Love, Wondrous Love and many others. Their beauty came from a gorgeous full tone, beautiful lines, and not being so strict with the tempo. It really requires great choral skill to sing this slow and sustained, and perfectly in tune.
I sang this in my choir long ago. My director had a solo sung for one of the verses. It was for the Soprano section, and Betty always sang it, with perfection. It was on the album we recorded that year,
I don't think there is anybody alive today that conducts this piece better than René Clausen. Luscious. Prayerful. Pleading. Powerful. Hopeful. My heart aches, yet fills when I listen to this.
Beautifully sung by this choir, 'My Song In The Night" is one of my very favorite choir anthems. Some of the words are from Psalm 42:8; it is a prayer unto itself.
Until recently, I had never heard this anthem. It is awesome and beautifully restful. Yes, Jesus is our song in the night but better yet our Savior, Redeemer and Friend.
Long ago, in high school, we performed this piece. Our director was a Concordia Moorhead graduate, having studied under Paul J. Christiansen and also having performed under Paul J. Since high school, fifty years ago, I have performed this piece once. I'm overdue. Such a beautiful work. Nicely done, choir.
Fantastic interpretation! Just beautiful! I sang this in college 20 years ago. This brings back good memories of one of my all time favorites.
I like the relaxed tempo, and the rounding of the phrases. The piece can be an intonation nightmare.
Clausen absolutely elevates this piece with his interpretation. I've often felt that it was somewhat lacking in terms of form, but the way he and the chorus really lean into all of the variances in tempo and volume more than overcome what I once thought of as the limitations of the page. Given the fact that Clausen is currently occupying the post created by Christiansen himself, I'm forced to admit that this is probably how the piece has always been meant to be performed, and the "limitations" were my own.Anyway, I've always wanted this piece to give me chills, and now it finally has.
You bring up a really good point about Paul J Chritiansen's arrangements: on paper if not interpreted in his way they can look very uninteresting. This is true of this piece and King of Love, Wondrous Love and many others. Their beauty came from a gorgeous full tone, beautiful lines, and not being so strict with the tempo. It really requires great choral skill to sing this slow and sustained, and perfectly in tune.
My school is doing this at benaroya for Christmas this year......I get goosebumps during rehearsals
I sang this in my choir long ago. My director had a solo sung for one of the verses. It was for the Soprano section, and Betty always sang it, with perfection. It was on the album we recorded that year,
Love the interpretation and phrasing... Intonation needs a little work.. but I'm definitely going to apply some of what I heard here to my choir.
You have to be joking, surely.