The River of Love

New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday (conductor)

Catalog #: TROY0988
Release Date: December 1, 2007
Format: Digital
Choral

The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, called the Shakers, came to the New World in 1774. Ann Lee Standerin, called Mother Ann by her followers, traveled to America with seven disciples to establish the Shaker religion in the New World. The group was so named because of fervent prayer rituals in which they entered into trance-like states Ñ twitching, shaking, whirling, singing and dancing, seeking transcendence from the burdens of sin. A gentle, highly ethical people there were, at the height of the movement in 1850, 6,000 Shakers, a number that began to decline after industrialization took over. Because the Shakers believed the human voice to be the perfect instrument for the expression to God, they were prolific composers. It is said that there are over 10,000 hymns in existence. This unique disc presents both original hymns and modern American works based on the materials. Fittingly, the first of these is one that is beloved by many: Aaron Copland's setting of Simple Gifts.

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Track Listing

Title Composer Performer
Simple Gifts Aaron Copland New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
A Mince Pie or a Puding Aaron Copland New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
There's a Light William Cutter New England Voices, Amy Carroll, flute, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Let Zion Move William Cutter New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
I Will Go on My Way William Cutter New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Drink Ye Shaker Spiritual New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
I Love Mother Shaker Spiritual New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Mother Ann's Song Shaker Spiritual New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Mother Ann's Closet Shaker Spiritual New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Dismission of the Devil Shaker Spiritual New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
The Humble Heart Shaker Spiritual New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
The Humble Heart Eric Sawyer New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
More Love Shaker Spirituals New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Invitation to the River of Love Shaker Spirituals New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Love is Little Shaker Spirituals New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Pretty Home Shaker Spirituals New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
A Snag of It or a Handful of Gospel Love Shaker Spirituals New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Tuvan Throat Singing Traditional Thomas Erik Sumner, tenor
Adagio in Lydian Mode Eric Sawyer Karen Oosterbaan, Frederick Bednarz, violin, Thomas Fajaro, viola, Harel Gietheim, cello
Sweet Summerland Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
I'll Tell Thee of Heaven Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
I Hunger and Thirst Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
I Know How To Pray Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
On Zion's Holy Ground Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Work for the Harvest Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
In My Father's House Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Come Life, Shaker Life Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
O Heaven of Heavens Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
One, Two, Three Steps Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Little Trumpet Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
I've Set My Face for Zion's Kingdom Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Funeral Hymn Shaker Hymns New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
The Simple Gifts Jacob Druckman New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Farewell Song Shaker Spirituals New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor
Living Souls Let's Be Marching Shaker Spirituals New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor

Reviews

  • "Especially inviting and inventive is "The Humble Heart,"...Although it's a dramatic and emotional journey scored for adult and children's choruses, vocal soloist, strings and piano, the piece never loses touch with the spacious simplicity of the Shaker aesthetic."

    – Albany Times Union

  • "This collection...is a fascinating hybrid, mixing three choral suites...with a selection of the Shaker hymns and spirituals that inspired them. ...A primary New England Voices mandate is to commission new works on Shaker themes. Good news, as this beautifully presented first sampling demonstrates."

    – American Record Guide

*Album cover provided for Editorial use only. ©Albany Records. The Albany Imprint is a registered trademark of PARMA Recordings LLC. The views and opinions expressed in this media are those of the artist and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions held by PARMA Recordings LLC and its label imprints, subsidiaries, and affiliates.