This project had its origins in a telephone conversation I had with my oldest daughter, Cora Nielsen Kelly, in Spring 2010. In it I said that someday I wanted to put on a set of performances featuring my choral music for which I picked the singers. At her urging I set about doing just that. I worked hard to get the finest singers for the chorus, as well as the best possible conductor, mezzo-soprano, pianist and string players. The first result was a great group of musicians who approached their task with dedication, intelligence and complete professionalism. The concerts performed and recorded in October 2011 were the culmination of our efforts. The second result was a recording made during the concerts, engineered and mastered by my fellow composer and editor, graphics designer, producer of this CD and friend, Dennis Bathory-Kitsz.
The recording, called Voices of October: Choral and Vocal Music of Erik Nielsen, is now available. Here's one of the selections, Which?
CONTENTS
VOICES OF OCTOBER: CHORAL AND VOCAL MUSIC OF ERIK NIELSEN
Larry Hamberlin, conductor
Time's Shadow (2001)* poetry by Barbara S. Nielsen
1. Begin the Day 3:24 Voces Dulcissimae
2. Spring Lake 2:55 Mary Jane Austin, piano
3. Garden's End 4:53
Trajectory of Flight (2011)* poetry by Jean L. Connor
4. Now, in March 3:38 Wendy Hoffman Farrell, mezzo-soprano
5. Allegro 2:28 October Strings
6. Evening 4:08
7. Late August 4:12
8. Keeping the Silence 5:49
9. Almost Night 4:33
10. Summer (2011)* 7:16 poetry by Jean L. Connor
Voces Dulcissimae
A Solitary Voice (2002)* poetry by David Budbill
11. Which? 1:39 Voces Dulcissimae
12. After a Walk on a Gray, Drizzling, Cold Spring Morning: The Thirtieth of April 3:09
13. Autumn and Crickets 1:30
14. What Issa Heard 1:46
Three Songs from “Twelfth Night” (2005) poetry by William Shakespeare
15. O Mistress Mine 2:12 Voces Dulcissimae
16. Come Away, Death 6:20 October Strings
17. When That I Was 2:21
18. Our Wish This Year is Peace 3:53 poetry by Erik Nielsen
Voces Dulcissimae
* World Premiere
Recorded in concert on October 14-15, 2011. Trajectory of Flight also recorded on October 20, 2011. All recording and mastering by Dennis Bathory-Kitsz. Concerts and recordings produced by Erik Nielsen. All music © Middle Branch Music ASCAP. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.
I hope soon to have purchase available right from this page, but in the meantime, if you want to buy a copy, please Contact Me via email or write to me (Erik Nielsen, 1266 Northfield Road, Brookfield, VT 05036) with the address to which you want the CD sent and a check made out to Middle Branch Music for $17.50 (this includes $2.50 for postage) for each CD ordered and I'll send our CD(s) right out.