How Excellent Is Thy Name

Track Listings

1. Anybody Here

2. He's All I Need

3. So Good

4. Joy Like a River - James Bignon

5. How Excellent Is Thy Name

6. He'll Work It Out for You

7. Jesus Will Carry You Through

8. I've Got the Victory

Tracks:

The Reproaches
Psalm VIII
Psalm XXIII
Psalm CXXII
They That Go Down To The Sea In Ships
Psalm LXXXIV
Psalm CXXX
The Lamentations Of Jeremiah
The Lord Is My Shepherd
Psalm CXXI
Psalm CXXXI
Like As The Hart
Psalm CXLVIII
Psalm CXLIX
Psalm CL

Customer Reviews:

A Beautiful Muiscal Rendition of the Psalms.......2004-04-19

To some extent, the title of this collection PSALMS FOR THE SOUL is a bit oxymoronic. The psalms that are set to music in this collection are from the Bible, and therefore all psalms from scripture would be psalms for the soul, so to speak. I would imagine that the person who came up with the title was trying to market the recording to a broader public than just those who would purchase a religious CD and thought it would be catchy. But I digress and should not poke fun of the people of Naxos who do a tremendous service to classical music lovers by providing a wide variety of music at affordable prices.

This collection contains musical settings of the psalms. Some of the settings are anthems from the Anglican tradition. Other settings are more liturgical stemming from the Benedictine monastic tradition. Some of the settings are contemporary, others traditional. The Choir of St. John's under the direction of Noel Edison and organist Michael Bloss, performs the pieces with both beauty and reverence.

Tracks:

Samson: Awake the Trumpet's Lofty Sound
Judas Maccabaeus: See, The Conqu'ring Hero Comes!
Judas Maccabaeus: Sing Unto God
Messiah: For Unto Us a Child Is Born
Samson: Let Their Celestial Concerts All Unite
Saul: Welcome, Welcome Mighty King/David His Ten Thousands Slew
Zadok the Priest: Coronation Anthem No.1
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Xerxes: Largo: Holy Art Thou
Saul: How Excellent Thy Name
Judas Maccabaeus: Hallelujah, Amen
Israel in Egypt: But as for His People
Israel in Egypt: Sing Ye to the Lord

Average customer rating:

A remarkable compilation of 20th century American psalmody.

Make His Praise Glorious

Manufacturer: Gloriae Dei Cantores
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Voices 1900/2000
The Lord Is My Shepherd
Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst and other choral works
Blue Wheat
O Magnum Mysterium

ASIN: B00000JXXD
Release Date: 1998-10-13

Album Description

Recording of twentieth-century American psalm settings features many recorded premieres, including works by Hovhaness, Nelson, Adler, and Hanson. Other composers included are Ives, Starer, Thompson, and Pinkham. This album was recorded in the splendid setting of Methuen Memorial Music Hall with its marvelous organ and acoustics. |

Gloriæ Dei Cantores has a mission to preserve and perform the finest sacred music. From its beginnings, the choir has also felt a special mission and an affinity for American music. There is a rich bounty of great American music that is rarely heard, and for that reason, Gloriæ Dei has now embarked on a series of recordings of American psalm settings.

Customer Reviews:

A remarkable compilation of 20th century American psalmody........2004-05-19

Elizabeth C. Patterson and her Gloriae Dei Cantores (Singers to the Glory of God) chorus had been total unknowns to me prior to about a year ago. The group had been brought to my attention then by Mark O'Connor's publicist, at which time he had been the guest artist on their "Appalachian Sketches" album. But that album, excellent as it was, turned out to be just the small tip of a significant iceberg in terms of choral singing, and particularly the American traditions of sacred choral singing over the last half-millennium.

I've since collected quite a few of their albums, and, to switch metaphors, this "Make His Praise Glorious" album may turn out to be the mother lode. Actually a religious choral community based on Cape Cod, MA, Gloriae Dei Cantores members have literally dedicated their lives to this music genre. In addition to recording at their "home base," they have also recorded frequently in Mechanics Hall, Worcester, MA and at Methuen Memorial Hall, Methuen, MA (where this particular recording was made). (For those who aren't familiar with the organ tradition in America, Methuen Memorial Hall is where the original organ in Boston's Symphony Hall found its "final resting place" after the formation of the Boston Symphony Orchestra rendered it redundant. Fully restored, reconstructed and revoiced in 1947, this organ is one of the finest historical organs in the U.S., and its permanent home-Methuen Memorial Hall-was built specifically for its properties, and for its perpetual preservation as well.)

The music on this album is as wide a variety of settings of the Psalms by 20th century American composers as one could ask for, covering a variety of liturgical points of view. Samuel Adler and Robert Starer (both Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria respectively who settled in the U.S and built significant careers in music afterwards) take their own individualistic approaches to their choices of psalms. Adler's, in English, is heroic, resplendent with two trumpets supporting the chorus. Starer's, in Hebrew, with piano accompaniment, are more reflective and smaller in scale, but equally well-done.

Alan Hovhaness's "Make a Joyful Noise" is a cantata in four parts based on Psalms 54, 55 and 66. Like much of Hovhaness's music, with its reflection of his Armenian roots, "Make a Joyful Noise" is otherworldly; simply a beautiful piece of writing. The opening Prelude is for trombone solo and organ; quite a piece by itself. The remaining three parts are the actual psalms; all three of them have the Methuen organ supporting the chorus and the second and fourth parts in addition have a brass quartet of two trumpets and two trombones. A joyful noise indeed!

There are four brief a capella motets set to psalms by David Pinkham, and excellent sacred choral works by Ronald A. Nelson, Howard Hanson and Randall Thompson. Thompson's setting of Psalm 23 ("The Lord is My Shepherd") is particularly beautiful, with the chorus accompanied by harp. (The booklet notes point out that Thompson set this for chorus plus optional organ, piano or harp. I believe that Elizabeth Patterson made a very wise choice in the harp option; it fits the music perfectly.)

All of the works already described were written in the middle third of the 20th century. All are readily accessible, and none could truly be called "modern." That description best fits the remaining work on the album,Charles Ives's setting of Psalm 90. Originally written in 1894, and possibly performed a few years later, when Ives was organist at the Central Presbyterian Church in New York, the work was then lost, and then reconstructed by Ives in 1923, partially from sketches he had preserved but largely from memory. (Ives had a prodigious memory, apparently, and could reconstruct works decades after they had been lost or abandoned.) Its first true public performance didn't take place until 1966,when the Gregg Smith Singers presented the official premiere. (The Robert Shaw Chorale then performed it the following year.)

This remarkable work is full of many Ives compositional touchstones, made famous in his later works, that belie its original date of composition. Written for chorus, organ and bells, it is in every sense a visionary work, full of unusual harmonies, stacked chords, harmonic ambiguities, and even tone clusters, and, as well, transcendent atmosphere (provided by the bells). Yet, despite this fearsome description of its constituents, the work is fresh and accessible, and, like the very best of Ives, very moving. In a phrase, it is an eleven-minute masterpiece, and easily the shining star of this album. And to think that it is the oldest work on the album, and by so many years!

Gloriae Dei Cantores do a splendid job with this difficult work, and this performance easily suffices as the best example of an Ives psalm in the absence of a remastering of the Gregg Smith Singers LPs that had so many good Ives choral works on them. Better yet, other albums by Gloriae Dei Cantores have additional Ives psalms on them.

As I finish writing these thoughts, we are less than 24 hours away from official observance of the 50th year since Ives's passing. A fitting tribute, I'd like to think.

Bob Zeidler

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How Excellent Is Thy Name
James Bignon
Manufacturer: Atlanta Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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What a Mighty God We Serve
On the Other Side of Through
Heaven Belongs to You

ASIN: B000003DPZ
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

Anybody Here
He's All I Need
So Good
Joy Like A River
How Excellent Is Thy Name
He'll Work It Out For You
Jesus Will Carry You Through
I've Got The Victory

Average customer rating:

Haendel: Saul [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Handel: Messiah [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B000A169OK
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Tracks:

Symphony: Allegro - Larghetto - Allegro - Andante Larghetto
1. Chorus: How Excellent Thy Name, O Lord
2. Air (Soprano): An Infant Raised By Thy Command - 3. Trio (Alto, Tenore, Basso): Along The Monster Atheist Strode
4. Soprano, Alto, Tenore, Basso: The Youth Inspired By Thee, O Lord - 5. Chorus: How Excellent Thy Name, O Lord
6. Recit & 7. Air (Michal): He Comes, He Comes! - O God-Like Youth! - 8. Recitative (Abner, Saul, David): Behold, O King, The Brave, Victorious Youth
9. Air (David): O King, Your Favours With Delight - 10. Recitative (Jonathan): Oh Early Piety!
11. Air (Merab): What Abject Thoughts A Prince Can Have! - 12. Recitative (Merab): Yet Think, On Whom This Honour You Bestow
13. Air (Jonathan): Birth And Fortune I Despise!
14. Recitative (High Priest): Go On, Illustrious Pair! - 15. Air (High Priest): While Yet Thy Tide Of Bood Runs High
16. Recitative (Saul, Merab): Thou, Merab, First In Birth, Be First In Honour - 17. Air (Merab): My Soul Rejects The Thought With Scorn - 18. Air (Michal): See, With What A Scornful Air - 19. Air (Michal): Ah, Lovely Youth, Wast Thou Designed
20. Symphony: Andante Allegro - 21. Recitative (Michal): Already See The Daughters Of The Land - 22. Chorus: Welcome, Welcome, Mighty King!
23. Accompagnato (Saul): What Do I Hear? - 24. Chorus: David His Ten Thousands Slew - 25. Accompagnato (Saul): To Him Ten Thousands - 26. Air (Saul): With Rage I Shall Start Burst His Praises To Hear
27. Recitative (Jonathan, Michal): Imprudent Women! - 28. Air (Michal): Fell Rage And Black Despair Possessed
29. Recitative (High Priest): This But The Smallest Part Of Harmony - 30. Accompagnato (High Priest): By Thee This Universal Frame
31. Recitative (Abner): Racked With Infernal Pains - 32. Air (David): O Lord, Whose Mercies Numberless
33. Symphony: Largo - 34. Recitative (Jonathan): 'Tis All In Vain, His Fury Still Continues
35. Air (Saul): A Serpent, In My Bosom Warmed - 36. Recitative (Saul): Has He Escaped My Rage?
37. Air (Merab): Capricious Man
38. Accompagnato (Jonathan): O Filial Piety! - 39. Air (Jonathan): No, Cruel Father, No!
40. Air (High Priest): O Lord, Whose Providence - 41. Chorus: Preserve Him For The Glory Of Thy Name
42. Chorus: Envy! Eldest Born Of Hell!
43. Recitative (Jonathan): Ah! Dearest Friend - 44. Air (Jonathan): But Sooner Jordan' Stream, I Swear
45. Recitative (David, Jonathan): Oh Strange Vicissitude! - 46. Air (David): Such Haughty Beauties Rather Move

Tracks:

47. Recitative (Jonathan): My Father Comes - 48. Recitative (Saul, Jonathan): Hast Thou Obeyed My Orders
49. Air (Jonathan): Sin Not, O King, Against The Youth - 50. Air (Saul): As Great Jehovah Lives - 51. Air (Jonathan): From Cities Stormed, And Battles Won
52. Recitative (Jonathan, Saul): Appear, My Friend - 53. Air (David): Your Words, O King, My Loyal Heart - 54. Recitative (Saul): Yes, He Shall Wed My Daughter!
55. Recitative (Michal): A Father's Will Has Authorised My Love - 56. Duet (Michal, David): O Fairest Of Ten Thousand Fair - 57. Chorus: Is There A Man
58. Symphony: Largo - Allegro
59. Recitative (David): Thy Father Is As Cruel - 60. Duet (David, Michal): At Persecution I Can Laugh
61. Recitative (Michal, Doeg): Whom Dost Thou Seek - 62. Air (Michal): No, No Let The Guilty Tremble
63. Recitative (Merab): Mean As He Was, He Is My Brother Now - 64. Air (Merab): Author Of Peace, Who Canst Controul
65. Symphony: Allegro
66. Accompagnato (Saul): The Time At Length Is Come - 67. Recitative (Saul, Jonathan): Where Is The Son Of Jesse?
68. Chorus: Oh Fatal Consequence Of Rage
69. Accompagnato (Saul): Wretch That I Am - 70. Recit - Accompagnato (Saul): 'Tis Said, Here Lives A Woman
71. Recitative (With, Saul): With Me What Would'st Thou - 72. Air (Witch Of Endor): Infernal Spirits
73. Accompagnato (Samuel, Saul): Why Hast Thou Forced Me From The Realms Of Peace
74. Symphony: Allegro
75. Recitative (David, Amalekite): Whence Comest Thou? - 76. Air (David): Impious Wretch, Of Race Accurst!
77. March: Grave
78. Chorus: Mourn, Israel
79. Air (High Priest): Oh Let It Not In Gath Be Heard
80. Air (Merab): From This Unhappy Day
81. Air (David): Brave Jonathan His Bow Never Drew - 82. Chorus: Eagles Were Not So Swift As They
83. Air (Michal): In Sweetest Harmony They Lived! - 84. Solo (David And Chorus): O Fatal Day! - 85. Recitative (Abner): Ye Men Of Judah, Weep No More!
86. Chorus: Gird On Thy Sword, Thou Man Of Might

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Hallelujah! Famous Händel Choruses

Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000000SO7
Release Date: 1994-09-06

Tracks:

Messiah: Hallelujah - Stockholm Kammerkoren/Eric Ericson
Samson: Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound - Arnold Schoenberg Chor/Erwin Ortner
Belshazzar: All Empires - Stockholm Kammerkoren/Eric Ericson
Giulio Cesare: Ritorni Omai Nel Nostro Core - Lucia Popp/Paul Esswood/Arnold Schoenberg Chor/Erwin Ortner
Alexander's Feast: The Many Rend The Skies - Stockholm Bachkor/Anders Ohrwall
Messiah: And The Glory Of The Lord - Stockholm Kammerkoren/Eric Ericson
Theodora: And Draw A Blessing Down - Arnold Schoenberg Chor/Erwin Ortner
Saul: Gird On Thy Sword - Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor/Walter Hagen-Groll
Ode For St. Cecilia's Day: As From The Pow'r Of Sacred Lays - Stockholm Bachkor/Anders Ohrwall
Samson: Let Their Celestial Concerts All Unite - Arnold Schoenberg Chor/Erwin Ortner
Jephtha: When His Loud Voice In Thunder Spoke - Arnold Schoenberg Chor/Erwin Ortner
Theodora: Oh Love Divine - Arnold Schoenberg Chor/Erwin Ortner
Belshazzar: Oh Glorious Prince - Stockholm Kammerkoren/Eric Ericson
Saul: How Excellent Thy Name, Oh Lord - Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor/Walter Hagen-Groll
Messiah: Let All The Angels Of God - Stockholm Kammerkoren/Eric Ericson
Jephtha: Ye House Of Gilead - Arnold Schoenberg Chor/Erwin Ortner
Alexander's Feast: Now Strike The Golden Lyre Again! - Stockholm Bachkor/Anders Ohrwall
Samson: Fix'd In His Everlasting Seat - Arnold Schoenberg Chor/Erwin Ortner
Belshazzar: See, From His Post - Stockholm Kammerkoren/Eric Ericson
Messiah: Worthy Is The Lamb - Stockholm Kammerkoren/Eric Ericson

Howard Hanson: Concerto for Organ, Harp & String Orchestra; Nymphs & Satyr Ballet Suite; etc.

Average customer rating:

Lesser heard Hanson pieces
A Collection of Second Tier Hanson Works

Howard Hanson: Concerto for Organ, Harp & String Orchestra; Nymphs & Satyr Ballet Suite; etc.

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
ASIN: B0000049NW
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Customer Reviews:

Lesser heard Hanson pieces.......2006-11-04

If you love Howard Hanson, you will love these lesser heard works. Always up to the highest Hanson standards, each piece uses a different vehicle and different approaches to its subject. Yet each is unmistakably Hanson.

A Collection of Second Tier Hanson Works.......2005-06-16

Perhaps I'm mostly responding to the other reviewer who heaped praise on the Organ and Harp Concerto. I bought this CD mostly because of interest in this work. The organ and the harp are two of my favorite instruments in an orchestral setting. Two of my favorite symphonies include Khachaturian's Third and Copland's First, both which feature the organ. Here the composers understand the dynamics of the organ in an orchestral setting. And it works!

Hanson's organ does not.

Yes, indeed there are some beautiful passages in the concerto, and some garbage to sift through as well. But the organ is not the right instrument for the work. It is the opposite of the right instrument for this work. A little rearranging, and this concerto could be one of Hanson's best works. The organ immitates lines that could easily be taken by some brass and woodwind sections. These sections are precisely what this concerto is missing. It lacks variety, and the organ seems like filler. Would someone PLEASE arrange this concerto with brass and woodwind sections and remove the organ? Maybe take his good ideas and combine them with good transitions also.

The other works are additional treats. The Nymphs and Satyr are certainly standard Hanson works, calling upon the same sort of passionate romanticism found in his first few symphonies.

His last four choral works have some merit, but the choir quality could stand to be tweaked a bit (as seems to be the case in many American choral works recordings, especially Randall Thompson's).

If you own a few Hanson symphonies, such as Delos' set of symphonies, and are looking for more Hanson, this is a good place to start. But don't expect the same sort of Hanson genius found in, say, the second through fourth symphones.

Average customer rating:

Another feast for Handelians
Excellent music

Handel: Saul
John Eliot Gardiner , Ruth Holton , Lynne Dawson , John Mark Ainsley , Donna Brown , Derek Lee Ragin , English Baroque Soloists , Philip Salmon , and Neil Mackie
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000412J
Release Date: 1991-09-12

Customer Reviews:

Another feast for Handelians.......2003-12-25

Here's another astonishing piece for all Handelians. Many of Handel's great pieces have sadly been neglected - just like many of Richard Strauss' operas which have only recently received attention from people like Botstein, Korsten and Sinopoli (deceased). Thankfully, Gardiner and his team took the trouble to record this astonishing masterpiece. I simply love this piece - Saul!! The Monteverdi choir is the best in the world - listen to their stunning virtuosity here. Thank you, Gardiner!!

Excellent music.......2003-09-14

Saul is one of those lesser known works by Handel. I certainly prefer Solomon, the Messiah or Israel in Egypt. Nevertheless, there is plenty of glorious music in Saul. The Monteverdi sings with their customary virtuosity. Casting of solo parts is superb. A bit on the pricey side but this is an investment that will yield rich dividends over a long period of time. Instead of listening to the Messiah all the time, or Solomon or Jephtha, why not be more daring and explore this lesser known work by Handel?

Average customer rating:

One of my favorite CD's!

Live in Jerusalem

Manufacturer: Bonneville / Bwe
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

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Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Pop Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Pop Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
ASIN: B000005877
Release Date: 1996-09-03

Tracks:

Hatikva
Sing Unto God
Glory To God In The Highest
Praise The Name Of The Lord
Zion's Walls
At The River
Ching-A-Ring Chaw
By The Waters Of Babylon
Come, Come Ye Saints
The Last Words Of David
How Excellent Thy Name
Now Shout
Joshua Fit Da Battle Of Jericho
Sinnuh, Please Don't Let Dis Harves' Pass
Cindy
Jerusalem Of God
Battle Hymn Of The Republic

Customer Reviews:

One of my favorite CD's!.......1999-06-07

I've really enjoyed this CD and listen to it often. I love the variety of songs, from fun to reverent, all uplifting, representing the best of America's best music choral literature.

Average customer rating:

An inspirational pleasure for listening or for learning

How Excellent Is Thy Name

Manufacturer: GIA Music Publications
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0009VT722

Product Description

15 Selections from the African American Church Music Series

Customer Reviews:

An inspirational pleasure for listening or for learning.......2005-07-29

In 2000, GIA Publications published the comprehensive "African American Heritage Hymnal." They followed by publishing a series of choral music works by America's leading African American composers and arrangers, now boasting over 100 titles.

As a logical extension, they're releasing CDs featuring music in the series, which thus far include STOP BY, LORD (2002), GUIDE MY FEET (2003) and the newest, HOW EXCELLENT IS THY NAME (2005).

The singers on this recording are graduates or current students of Morgan State University, conducted by Dr. James Abbington (who also serves as Executive Editor of the series.) The selections include arrangements of spirituals ("Hold On" arr. by Uzee Brown Jr.) and early gospel songs (Lucie Campbell's "Something Within" arranged by Nathan Carter) as well as contemporary works written specifically for choruses.

My favorite piece - which would be perfect for commencement ceremonies - is "May the Work I've Done Speak for Me" by Sullivan Pugh, arranged by Colin Lett. This work certainly speaks for GIA's commitment to African American churches.

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review

1. Anybody Here
2. He's All I Need
3. So Good
4. Joy Like a River - James Bignon
5. How Excellent Is Thy Name
6. He'll Work It Out for You
7. Jesus Will Carry You Through
8. I've Got the Victory