Candy Schwartz

It's been a few years. Stuff for this particular season? - Julian

Not seasonal. I hear things I like in tv show or commercial backgrounds and don't know enough to know how to look for them. So, e.g., what I think are boy choruses with occasional high solo flights, singing in English or Latin. What's the best or a sampler of that kind of thing? Or a really amazing requiem with solos? - Candy Schwartz

I like deep mystery, if that makes any sense. - Candy Schwartz

So this is stuff you heard in a store or on a TV commercial? Do you know enough to pick out what period it's from? Renaissance? Baroque? Classical? - Heidi Blanton-Hansen

Nope. I could do that with instrumental more mainstream stuff. But I am not trying to find a specific piece of music - this "liking little snatches" has just cumulated to the point where I want to explore the genre. - Candy Schwartz

Oh ok, instrumental then... have to readjust my thinking... I'm not sure about "mainstream" in this area. I have to admit that Bach dominates my classical music collection, but that doesn't sound like what you're looking for at all... - Heidi Blanton-Hansen

Or genres, since I don't know enough. I do know Gregorian chant (which this isn't) and madrigals and some individual things like Lecons de tenebres and a little Gesualdo. These last two are in the vein, but not quite. - Candy Schwartz

I really enjoy Mozart masses, I think I sang the Mass in C. There's a good mix of chorus, vocal quartet, and instrumental... maybe you'd be interested in something like that? - Heidi Blanton-Hansen

I know that's the other side of the spectrum from renaissance/gregorian, but I think a lot of Mozart's liturgical stuff is often overshadowed by his symphonic works... probably has a lot to do with the period... - Heidi Blanton-Hansen

Definitely look at some Mozart. Haydn, Lord Nelson Mass. Britten, Ceremony of Carols (for fun!). Bit more modern: Faure and Durufle Requiems. Mid-20th c: try Randall Thompson. Bleeding edge: I am a huge fan of Bob Chilcott's choral works; I can shoot you mp3s of "Canticles of Light" if you like. - Dorothea Salo

Oh second on Britten! Almost forgot about him, I think I got some awesome Britten stuff around here somewhere... yes Randall Thompson too :) I was also thinking just now that there's many different arrangements of Ave Maria (not the Schubert one you normally hear) that you might enjoy... I think I sang at least two different ones that I might have a recording of somewhere. - Heidi Blanton-Hansen

Thanks both of you - that should get me going - and yes DS, I would love those mp3s - to my gmail account (candy dot schwartz) - Candy Schwartz

Handel can be kinda fun. I like cantatas, because they're shortish and have a storyline to follow. Something like the Bach St. Matthew Passion is only for the Truly Dedicated (I sang it once). - Dorothea Salo

I found 3 Ave Maria's on my computer... all done by my college choir, I'll send those to you too. They're all wonderful :) - Heidi Blanton-Hansen

I agree with you DS, St. Matthew Passion IS for the truly dedicated... I bet that was fun to sing though! I would've loved that!! Bach is my fave. - Heidi Blanton-Hansen

I miss singing - I sang for a year with the McGill choir and loved it. But we didn't do "big" pieces - that must be great - Candy Schwartz

I miss singing too :( - Heidi Blanton-Hansen