Conducted by Christopher Bell, Chicago's Grant Park Chorus, "as fine a symphony chorus as any to be found anywhere in the nation" (Chicago Tribune), makes it's a cappella CD debut with an all-American program of eight imaginative, moving, and sometimes whimsical works written between 1975 and 2005, including four world-premiere recordings. Premieres include Abbie Betinis's Toward Sunshine, Toward Freedom: Songs of Smaller Creatures. Lee Kesselman's Buzzings: Three Pieces about Bees offers vignettes based on Emily Dickinson poems. Paul Crabtree's Five Romantic Miniatures is a set of affectionate tributes to characters from the Simpsons animated TV series. The chorus made it's commercial recording debut performing with the Grant Park Orchestra on the 2011 Cedille Records release the Pulitzer Project, which attracted international attention. Chicago's New City said the CD "spectacularly showcased" the chorus's "remarkable transparency and flexibility."
4 Buzzings I. to Make a Prairie {Lee Kesselman} (1'33)
5 Buzzings II. a Bee His Burnished Carriage {Lee Kesselman} (1'05)
6 Buzzings III. Bee! I'm Expecting You! {Lee Kesselman} (1'28)
7 When David Heard {Eric Whitacre} (11'43)
8 Sonnets of Desire, Longing, and Whimsy I. Now By This Moon, Before This Moon Shall Wane {Stacy Garrop} (2'45)
9 Sonnets of Desire, Longing, and Whimsy II. Time Does Not Bring Relief - You All Have Lied {Stacy Garrop} (3'13)
10 Sonnets of Desire, Longing, and Whimsy III. I Shall Forget You Presently, My Dear {Stacy Garrop} (1'41)
11 Acrostic Song from Final Alice {David Del Tredici} (4'47)
12 Seven Motets for the Churchs Year While All Things Were in Quiet Silence {Ned Rorem} (1'53)
13 Seven Motets for the Churchs Year Before the Morning Star Begotten {Ned Rorem} (0'58)
14 Seven Motets for the Churchs Year Lay Up for Yourselves {Ned Rorem} (1'00)
15 Seven Motets for the Churchs Year Praise Him Who Was Crucified {Ned Rorem} (1'00)
16 Seven Motets for the Churchs Year God Is Gone Up {Ned Rorem} (1'23)
17 Seven Motets for the Churchs Year Today the Holy Spirit Appeared {Ned Rorem} (2'19)
18 Seven Motets for the Churchs Year Rejoice We All in the Lord {Ned Rorem} (2'17)
19 Five Romantic Miniatures Abe {Paul Crabtree} (1'38)
20 Five Romantic Miniatures Lisa {Paul Crabtree} (0'43)
21 Five Romantic Miniatures Homer {Paul Crabtree} (0'50)
22 Five Romantic Miniatures Marge {Paul Crabtree} (1'17)
23 Five Romantic Miniatures Homer {Paul Crabtree} (2'12)
24 Sleep {Eric Whitacre} (4'25)
Conducted by Christopher Bell, Chicago's Grant Park Chorus, "as fine a symphony chorus as any to be found anywhere in the nation" (Chicago Tribune), makes it's a cappella CD debut with an all-American program of eight imaginative, moving, and sometimes whimsical works written between 1975 and 2005, including four world-premiere recordings. Premieres include Abbie Betinis's Toward Sunshine, Toward Freedom: Songs of Smaller Creatures. Lee Kesselman's Buzzings: Three Pieces about Bees offers vignettes based on Emily Dickinson poems. Paul Crabtree's Five Romantic Miniatures is a set of affectionate tributes to characters from the Simpsons animated TV series. The chorus made it's commercial recording debut performing with the Grant Park Orchestra on the 2011 Cedille Records release the Pulitzer Project, which attracted international attention. Chicago's New City said the CD "spectacularly showcased" the chorus's "remarkable transparency and flexibility."
