Here is our new recording of Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus by the vocal quartet Tembresha. We recorded this in my living room at the tail end of the pandemic in December 2021. This was one of several groups I worked with in my home during the pandemic. During the pandemic I wasn’t able to perform publicly so I started working with people in my home as a way to keep my sanity and creativity alive.

Click the bottom right of the video “Watch on YouTube” to listen to it on my YouTube channel and also to read more about the singers, our recording and the history of Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus

Read more about the history of Ave Verum Corpus by W.A. Mozart: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ave_verum_corpus_(Mozart)

You can also listen to this recording on your favorite streaming platform: https://social.tunecore.com/linkShare?linkid=kvv70yBgJXvm6qcaL8RFqg

I first sang Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus in 1977 as a boy soprano in the Northwest Boychoir (Seattle, WA USA). It is one of my absolute favorite sacred choral pieces and my favorite choral piece by W.A. Mozart. (I would say “favorite sacred choral work” but there’s always the Mass in B minor by J.S. Bach…)

The lyrics are also very moving. Here’s the original Latin lyrics and the English translation:

LYRICS – AVE VERUM CORPUS

ORIGINAL LATIN
Ave verum corpus,
Natum de Maria virgine;
Vere passum immolatum
In crucis pro homine.
Cuius latus perforatum
Unda fluxit et sanguine.
Esto nobis praegustatum
In mortis examine.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Hail, true body,
Born of the virgin Mary;
Who has truly suffered, slaughtered
On the Cross for humanity.
Whose side was pierced,
Pouring out water and blood.
Be a foretaste for us
During our ordeal of death.

Christmas Gloria © 2007 Conrad Askland. Christmas Gloria in the Baroque style for SATB Chorus, SAT Trio Soloists, Flue, Oboe, Bb Clarinet, Trumpet, Horn, Tuba, Harpsichord and Percussion. Composed by Conrad Askland for the 2007 Christmas Eve service at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church.

►Subscribe to Conrad Askland on YouTube: https://bit.ly/39vjc3A​

The story about the Christmas Gloria is included as side comments in the video. In 2007 I was music director for a Presbyterian church. I had just signed a contract to join Cirque du Soleil in China and my last church service at the church was Christmas Eve 2007. Wanting to write a special piece for the choir and congregation at my last church service with them, I set out to decide what that would be. A Christmas song of course, but what would that be?

Even as a youth I had always marveled at Johann Sebastian Bach and the fact that he would often write full chorus works in a single week that would then be performed at the following week’s church service. Having always wanted to know what that experience was like, I “killed two birds with one stone” by writing a Christmas song for the church that was also a full chorale work with chamber ensemble that was composed in a single week.

This video is the live recording of my Christmas Gloria from that 2007 Christmas Eve service. I had setup a fairly large recording setup with 8 microphones but something went wrong at the last minute and the setup didn’t work. I don’t remember what the problem was, something with the ADAT recorders (this was back in 2007) being the wrong format for digital tapes or something like that.

Someone from the congregation put a little recorder on top of the organ to record the performance. At the time I didn’t see the point of that since nothing would be useable unless it was a professional recording. But now I’m so thankful they did that. It’s not a good recording but it’s the only recording I have of this chamber chorale work.

I was also able to find an old copy of the conductor score and I included that in the video. At the time it was my first time using the notation software Sibelius and I felt fortune just to output readable music. The conductor’s score has many elements that I would never do today like instruments in concert keys, slur phrasing markings that look pretty but are impractical for the players to play and a non-standard spacing of measures throughout the score.

It was a magical night when the singers and musicians played this music. Many of my friends from local theater shows joined to be part of the chorus for this piece. It was a musical send-off for me as I left my good friends in the Pacific Northwest USA and left for a new life in China. I ended up living in China for four years while working for Cirque du Soleil so this was indeed my last performance in the United States for many years.

Story in the video about writing and orchestrating this choral and chamber ensemble work in one week for performance at the Christmas Eve church service. A tribute to J.S. Bach, who often wrote large choral musical works for weekly church services, and the traditional text of “Soli Deo Gloria”.

LYRICS
(Latin to English translation)

Soli Deo gloria
Glory to God alone

Domine Deus
O Lord God

Rex coelestis
Heavenly King

Deus Pater omnipotens
God the Father Almighty

Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe
The only begotten Son, Jesus Christ

Domine Deus
O Lord God

Agnus Dei
Lamb of God

Filius Patris
Son of the Father

Amen
Amen

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Glory be to God in the highest

Et in terra pax hominibus
Peace on earth to men

Et in terra pax bonae voluntatis
Peace on earth to men of good will

Laudamus te
We praise you

Benedicimus te
Thank you

Adoramus te
We adore you

Glorificamus te
We glorify you

Amen
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria
Glory to God alone

Christmas Gloria © 2007 Conrad Askland (ASCAP)

One of the first steps in classical technique is to work on the open “ah” sound to build the muscle memory for an open sound that can project well. I thought this video was a good representation as a starting point on this technique:

Then here are a couple vocal warm ups the student can use to build note recognition and also practice forming all the basic vowel sounds with the new open “ah” approach. In short, the back of the throat is open like in a yawn and the lips form the different vowel sounds. Exaggerate this approach at first, so the student gets in the habit of always singing with an open sound on all vowel sounds – the formation in the back of the throat is the same for all vowels, only the lips change the enunciation. This will not sound “good” at first, but for classical technique it’s important to get away from the thin enunciations we use in everyday speech (particular for North American English speakers).

Vocal warmup 2:

Most vocal students of classical technique will learn some of the “24 Italian Arias” from the famous G. Schirmer edition. I think it’s valuable to compare what a more modern enunciation sounds like vs. an authentic Italian enunciation. Here are two versions for students to compare:

Luciano Pavarotti. Notice in Pavarotti’s version how open his resonance is, how pure the vowel sounds are, how the notes sustain into one another focused on the vowels, and also where he makes the artistic choice to put in a vocal slide.

And for practicing Caro Mio Ben, here is a backing track (for low voice):

My latest gig was working as Music Director for “Rock of Ages” with NCL International out of New York. This is an 80’s rock show that’s “in your face” and you would think it is as far removed from “Caro Mio Ben” as possible. However, in vocal warmups I picked a couple of the leads and out of the blue said “Sing an Italian Aria.” Almost all of them could break into a memorized Italian aria on the spot. In fact, one of them did indeed sing “Caro Mio Ben” on the spot. I tell you this to impress on the beginning vocal student how important it is to develop facile classical technique. Certainly you don’t have to, but if you intend on swimming with the big fish and audition in a place like New York City, I can guarantee you that your competition HAS put in the time to learn proper technique.

Who can learn classical technique? Anyone. It’s not just about talent, it’s about putting in the time and having a teacher that gives you good guidance.

• WHAT: Auditions for the Northwest Boychoir
• WHO: Boys Kindergarten – Third Grades. No previous music training needed
• WHEN: Saturday, May 21, 2011.
• WHERE: By appointment at 5031 University Way NE, NB2 at the University Heights Community Center
• WHAT ELSE: Call 206-524-3234 to make an appointment and learn more about the Northwest Boychoir – or email nwc@northwestchoirs.org. More info at: http://www.northwestchoirs.org

If you’re within driving distance of Seattle, WA and know any boys age kindergarten to third grade with strong music interest then I highly recommend checking out the Northwest Boychoir. I count my years with the Northwest Boychoir (5th-8th grade), and the shows I was cast in as a result of the organization, as the single most worthwhile musical education I ever received.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciLYA2a1KbI

Maybe I’ve been hanging out with too many ladybodys in Macau, but this is pretty damn cool. Lin Yu sings Dolly Parton classic on Taiwanese talent show Super Star Avenue, giving his all for the $1 Million prize. (Parton wrote and first recorded the song, which Whitney Houston later recorded.)

Be sure to watch the whole video. Lots of great stuff in here. Bravo!

The Barbershop Harmony Society is proud to present your 2009 International Barbershop Chorus Champions performing their uptune ‘Seventy-Six Trombones’ by Meredith Wilson and arranged by David Wright. Representing the Central States District, under the Direction of Dr. Jim Henry…..the Ambasssadors of Harmony! (www.aoh.org)

O sole mio: Trio Ginoble – Boschetto – Barone – Live

Oh man, I feel bad for the guy who sang the Star Spangled Banner at the opening of the Obama inauguration and messed up the last entrance on the word “brave”. I thought a couple entrances before that seemed a bit tentative, but then thought no, that was just my imagination – they must practice this a thousand times.

Then at the very end the band stopped silent and he came in with “B” for brave – just his “b” hanging all by it’s little lonesome with so many millions of people watching. Ouch! That’s one that would have me waking up in the middle of the night in a sweat for years.

You can listen to it at 1:24 in this video clip.

UPDATE: Mmmm…..I haven’t seen this posted anywhere else and no comments. Maybe there was no mistake, and it was just an audio bug in the time delay?

Approach to Bach with the Swingle Singers – with original member Ward Swingle. He says if we can listen to Bach in the morning we lead better lives because of it…

I remember hearing the Swingle Singers a LOT as a kid in the early seventies. Great stuff and some of my favorite all time renditions of Bach and Mozart. Vive la mystere.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t89O9T0fEhI

J.S.Bach Sinfonia form Partita No.2 for Keyboard, played by the Swingle Singers. Recorded in 1963.

THE SWINGLE SINGERS

The Swingle Singers are a vocal group formed in 1962 Paris, France with Ward Swingle, Anne Germain, Jeanette Baucomont, and Jean Cussac. Christiane Legrand, the sister of composer Michel Legrand, was the lead soprano in the group. There are a total of 8 members in the group: two sopranos, two altos, two tenors, and two basses.

History

The group, directed primarily by Ward Swingle (who once belonged to the famed French vocal group Les Double Six) began as session singers mainly doing background vocals for singers like Charles Aznavour and Edith Piaf. They did some jazz vocals for Michel Legrand, but when he left for Hollywood to do film scores, they were left with boring parts. Swingle cast about for something interesting to do and fell on Bach’s Well-Tempered Klavier, which led to their hit album, Bach’s Greatest Hits.

They sang with French pop star Etienne Daho on his songs “Timide intimité” and “Soudain” from his 1996 album Eden, and with the Style Council on their song “The Story of Someone’s Shoe” from the 1988 album Confessions of a Pop Group. (Style Council leader Paul Weller claims the song was inspired by the Swingle Singers’ 1967 album with the Modern Jazz Quartet, Place Vendome.)[citation needed]

* First incarnation: French, 1962-1973
* Second incarnation: English, 1973-Present (also under the names “Swingle II”, “The Swingles”, then “The New Swingle Singers”)

Each of the above incarnations included different singers at different times.

Today

The group is now based in London, England. The Swingle Singers are an a cappella group that sometimes uses accompaniment by bass and drums. They produce complicated, technically impressive covers ranging from modern classics (The Beatles) to classical music (Tchaikovsky, Beethoven) to opera (Rossini). Their arrangements are often informed by jazz harmonies and stylings. Other influences included Nat King Cole, various smooth singers and pianists.

The Swingle Singers are also active in classical music. A hit for them was Bach’s “Air on the G String”, recorded with the Modern Jazz Quartet. Luciano Berio wrote his postmodern symphony Sinfonia for eight voices and orchestra in 1968 with them in mind (appearing on the original recording which is now out of print). They also recorded Ben Johnston’s “Ci-Git Satie” and “Visions and Spels”. In 2005, their recording of Bach’s Prelude in F Minor was incorporated into the hit single “They”, by Jem Griffiths; the same piece was also used in the 2006 film The Gigolos. In the same year, their recording of Bach’s Fugue in G Minor (BWV 578) featured in the film Thank You for Smoking.

The group currently comprises the following singers:

* Joanna Goldsmith (Soprano, UK)
* Julie Kench (Soprano, UK)
* Clare Wheeler (Alto, UK)
* Lucy Bailey (Alto, UK)
* Richard Eteson (Tenor, UK)
* Christopher Jay (Tenor, UK)
* Kevin Fox (Bass, Canada)
* Tobias Hug (Bass, Germany)

* Sound Engineer: Hugh Walker (UK)

[edit] Selected Discography

Beauty & the Beatbox (2007) (collaboration with beatbox artist Shlomo)

1. A Fifth of Beethoven
2. Spain (I Can Recall)
3. Dido’s Lament
4. It’s Sand, Man!
5. Adagio in G Minor
6. Bolero
7. Cielito Lindo (Mexican Traditional)
8. Straighten Up & Fly Right
9. Piano Concerto No. 21, 2nd Mvt.
10. Gotcha (Theme from “Starsky & Hutch”)
11. Bachbeat

Going Baroque (2007)

1. Badinerie
2. Aria And Variations: The Harmonious Blacksmith
3. Giga
4. Largo
5. Prelude No. 19 In A Major
6. Preambulum
7. Fugue
8. Allegro
9. Prelude No. 7 In E Flat Major
10. Solfegietto In C Minor
11. Der Fruehling (Spring)
12. Prelude No. 24 In B Minor

Unwrapped (2006)

1. Concerto Grosso
2. In The Bleak Midwinter
3. Christmas Song
4. River
5. Walking In The Air
6. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
7. O Tannenbaum
8. Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree
9. Santa Baby
10. Away In A Manger
11. Carol Of The Drum
12. Amazing Grace
13. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
14. Last Christmas
15. Happy Christmas (War Is Over)
16. Hotaru No Hikari

Dabadaba Swing (2006)

1. So What
2. Surfboard
3. Insensatez
4. Girl From Ipanema
5. Milonga Del Angel
6. Time For Love, A
7. Timeless Place, A
8. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
9. Have You Met Miss Jones?
10. My Funny Valentine
11. Lady Is A Tramp
12. Just One Of Those Things
13. My Foolish Heart
14. All The Things You Are
15. It Don’t Mean A Thing
16. Soul Bossa Nova

American Look (2005)

1. Country Dances
2. When Jesus Wept
3. Negro Spirituals
4. Patriotic Songs
5. He’s Gone Away
6. Saints Fugue
7. Stephen Foster Medley
8. Porgy And Bess Suite

Concerto d’Aranjuez (2004)

1. Romanza Andaluza
2. Adagio
3. Rondalla Aragonesa
4. Tango In D Major
5. Granada
6. Sevilla
7. Romance Espagnole
8. Spanish Tango In A Minor
9. Sonata In D Major
10. Andaluza

Compilation Album (1989)

* “Twofer” compact disc containing the albums Reflections (1985) and Live at Ronnie Scott’s (1987).

Live at Ronnie Scott’s (1987)

1. Route 66
2. Children of the Ghetto
3. Li’l Darlin’
4. Dry Cleaner from Des Moines
5. Mean to Me
6. It’s Alright with Me
7. Moon Over Bourbon Street
8. Boplicity
9. Round Midnight
10. Sweet Nothing
11. Tuxedo Junction

Reflections (as The Swingles) (1985)

1. Overture to the Marriage of Figaro
2. Organ Fugue BWV 578
3. Bist Du Bei Mir
4. Come Live with Me
5. All the Things You Are
6. Oh Johnny!
7. Fascinatin’ Rhythm
8. Just One of Those Things
9. London by Night
10. Country Dances
11. Flight of the Bumble Bee

Back To Bach (196?)

Side 1:

1. Vivace
2. Prelude And Fugue In E Minor
3. Choral
4. Gavotte
5. Prelude And Fugue In C Major

Side 2:

1. Adagio
2. Prelude And Fugue In C Major
3. Prelude For Organ Choral
4. Fugue In E Flat Major

Swingling Telemann (1966)

1. Concerto a Six: Allegro
2. Concerto a Six: Adagio
3. Concerto a Six: Presto
4. Concerto a Six: Adagio
5. Concerto a Six: Allegro
6. Couperin (Fourth Book of Pieces for Harpsichord, 21E Ordre)
7. Gigue (Suite for Strings “La Lyra”)
8. Fugue in D minor
9. Presto (Trio from Sonata in E Major)
10. Larghetto (Concerto in A Major for Hautbois d’Amour and Strings)
11. Coucou (First Book of Pieces for Harpsichord “A Mlle de Soubise”)
12. Presto (Sonata Nº 4 for Flute and Basso Continuo in E minor)
13. Sonata in C minor: Allegro
14. Sonata in C minor: Andante Moderato
15. Sonata in C minor: Vivace

Swinging Mozart (France) / Anyone for Mozart (U.S.) (1965)

1. Variations on Ah! Vous Dirais – Je Maman K265
2. Fugue (from Sonata N 37 in A Major for Guitar and Harpsichord K402)
3. Sonata for Piano N 15 in C Major K545: Allegro
4. Sonata for Piano N 15 in C Major K545: Andante
5. Sonata for Piano N 15 in C Major K545: Allegretto
6. Serenade N 13 in G Major, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K525: Allegro
7. Serenade N 13 in G Major, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K525: Romance
8. Serenade N 13 in G Major, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K525: Menuetto
9. Serenade N 13 in G Major, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K525: Rondo
10. Allegro (from Sonata for Piano N 5 in G Major K283)

Going Baroque (1964)

1. Badinerie (from Ouvertüre H-Moll, BWV 1067)
2. Grobschmied Variations (from Cembalosuite in E-Dur)
3. Gigue (from Cellosuite Nr. 1 C-Dur, BWV 1009)
4. Largo (from Cembalokonzert F-Moll, BWV 1056)
5. Praeludium Nr. 19 A-Dur BWV 864 (from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I)
6. Praeambulum (from Partita Nr. 5 G-Dur BWV 829)
7. Fuga (from Concerto Op. 3 ‘L’Estro Armonico’ Nr. 11 D-Moll)
8. Allegro (from Concerto Grosso Op. 6 A-Moll)
9. Praeludium Nr. 7 Es-Dur BWV 876 (from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II)
10. Solfegietto C-Moll
11. Fruehling (Spring)
12. Praeludium Nr. 24 H-Moll BWV 893 (from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II)

Jazz Sébastien Bach (France) / Bach’s Greatest Hits (U.S.) (1963)

Side 1:

1. Fugue in D Minor (from The Art of the Fugue)
2. Prelude for Organ Chorale No 1
3. Aria (from Suite No 3 in D)
4. Prelude No 12 in F Minor (from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II)
5. Bourrée II (from The English Suite No 2)
6. Fugue No 2 in C Minor (from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I)
7. Fugue No 5 in D (from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I)

Side 2:

1. Prelude No 9 in E (from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II)
2. Sinfonia (from The Partita No 2)
3. Prelude No 1 in C (from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II)
4. Canon
5. Two Part Invention No 1 in C
6. Fugue No 5 in D (from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II)

Trivia

* Contrary to popular belief, the Burt Bacharach-penned song “South American Getaway” from the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was not performed by the Swingle Singers, although it was supposed to be.

* They appeared on The Two Ronnies singing The Windmills of Your Mind (which was written by Michel Legrand). They were also the featured performers in the musical section of the fourth series of The Two Ronnies in 1975.

* They were part of the UK’s first human beatbox choir, ‘Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra’ alongside some of the UK’s premier beatbox artists.

The “Gloria Challenge” was to follow the footsteps of JS Bach to compose and perform a full scale sacred work for SATB Chorus and Chamber Orchestra at a church service, and to do it all within one week. The piece I composed was the “Christmas Gloria” and it was performed at the Christmas Eve service at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon, WA.

Here’s an Mp3 of the Christmas Eve presentation:

http://conradaskland.com/downloads/Christmas-Gloria/Christmas-Gloria.mp3

I had setup several high end microphones to get a quality recording, but my tapes would not format for the recording. So as a last resort I set a CD recorder on top of the church organ and recorded off it’s internal mics. I’m disappointed we didn’t get a better recording, but it will give you an idea of the piece.

• Gloria Challenge Part I
• Gloria Challenge Part II – Thoughts
• Gloria Challenge Part III – Scores Released
• Gloria Challenge Part IV – Press Release
  
• Gloria Challenge Part V – The Performance

The “Gloria Challenge” came about as I was Googling “JS Bach” a couple weeks ago and read again how he composed so much music for the entire church year, often preparing a full scale piece in a single week. That has always fascinated me, so I thought I’d take a swing at it and see what I could do. It was a great devotional time for me, and a bit tense to get it all together.

Thank you SO MUCH to all the vocalists and musicians who took the challenge and stepped up to the plate.

The process was gruelling to do this in a week. I was pretty sick the evening of our performance and collapsed Christmas Day. If I did this on a regular basis I think it would go much smoother. But I was pleased with the finished product. From talking to chorus members most of them were pleased as well considering the time restraints. The choir got one three hour rehearsal – then a run-through before the performance.

Of course it’s all just a scholastic game if the piece doesn’t inspire the listener and fit appropriately into the service. From feedback I’ve received people were very moved by the piece. There was a thirty second standing ovation at the end of the piece. That’s a little rare for church services, especially a Christmas Eve service. I take it that people were very moved by the text and music.

For me, the piece brought alive the mystery and nobility of Christmas. It also brought some depth to the season for me as I was huddled in seclusion working on the piece instead of watching Christmas specials on tv.

The dedication for the Christmas Gloria is to Ruth Haines and the Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church choir. I really enjoyed the couple years I spent with all of you as music director at MVPres. And thanks to Ruth Haines who always kept me organized even when I didn’t know it.

So yes, I’d say we did it.

Christmas Gloria Musicians:
Trumpet – Cindy Luna
French Horn – Amanda McDaniel
Tuba – Bruce Hanna
Oboe – Rebecca Wright
Flute – Linda Slone
Clarinet – Michelle Hanna
Harpsichord – Ruth Haines
Double Bass – Marilyn Parman
Timpani – Todd Parks

Christmas Gloria Instrument Scores

• Conductor’s Score – Askland Christmas Gloria
  
• SATB Choir with Harpsichord
• Flute
• Oboe
• Bb Clarinet
• Bb Trumpet
• French Horn
• Tuba
• Timpani
• Harpsichord
• Double Bass

MP3 Gloria practice tracks for musicians and vocalists:

• Christmas Gloria General Midi Practice Track Mp3
• Soprano – Gloria Practice Track Mp3
• Alto – Gloria Practice Track Mp3
• Tenor – Gloria Practice Track Mp3
• Bass – Gloria Practice Track Mp3