Choir Geeks Rejoice!

March 28, 2008 12:12 AM

Since these posts seemed to bring back happy memories/warm fuzzies for so many former/current choir kids, here is Hear the Choirs Sing, a massive collection of contemporary and sacred choral works from all around the world. And, if while singing along, you realize you've forgotten your part, check Choral Wiki for links to sheet music.
posted by chara (20 comments total)

what an awesome post, thank you so much.
posted by Wilder at 12:44 AM on March 28, 2008

I don't "get it".
posted by sharksandwich at 2:09 AM on March 28, 2008

Speaking of "getting it," I wish there was some way to find all of the complete recordings. Hmmm, download the entire site and sort the mp3s by size?
posted by StickyCarpet at 3:21 AM on March 28, 2008

Awesome find.
posted by Jofus at 5:22 AM on March 28, 2008

Yay!
posted by Jofus at 5:24 AM on March 28, 2008

And this lot have a lot of charm.

I like it when they're a bit raggedy. You can almost feel the rough wood of the pews and smell the daffodils in the vestry.
posted by Jofus at 5:27 AM on March 28, 2008

Moar liek snarksandwhich, amirite?
posted by AwkwardPause at 5:36 AM on March 28, 2008

Moar liek snarksandwhich, amirite?
posted by AwkwardPause at 8:36 AM on March 28

Eponysterical.
posted by Poolio at 6:31 AM on March 28, 2008

Thanks for this post! There are some great resources for DoReMeFi, the unofficial MetaFilter Glee Club (next rehearsal is this Tuesday in Redwood City, CA, if you're interested in joining us). I've been looking around for scores we could sing and there's lots of stuff in the post and comments that I hadn't found yet. Keep 'em coming!

Huh, now I see you've linked to the MeTa post announcing our formation. Aw, shucks!

*blushes, sticks hands in pockets, shuffles feet*
posted by Quietgal at 6:52 AM on March 28, 2008

Awesome resources, thank you! I was relegated to the "mouth the words" section in school, but nothing thrills my heart like sacred choral music.
posted by catlet at 7:12 AM on March 28, 2008

Thanks for this. I was looking to learn more about choral music.
posted by khaibit at 7:38 AM on March 28, 2008

Quietgal, were I not hundreds of miles away, landlocked in the Asscrack of America, I'd be there in a heartbeat. I look forward to hearing what y'all come up with (MeFi Music Post?)!
posted by chara at 7:58 AM on March 28, 2008

Metafilter Glee Club? Without me?!

If I think to get to it, I'll be following the link looking for something specific. A piece we were doing in choir in school, but I quit school before we got to perform it. My only regret in quiting school.
posted by Goofyy at 9:01 AM on March 28, 2008

How unusual. I already looked. What do I do with thes 'ram' (realaudio) links, on OS X or Linux? Never came across this since dumping windows. Thanks!
posted by Goofyy at 9:05 AM on March 28, 2008

Great link! My wife and I fell in love when our choir was in Salt Lake City singing with the Mormon Tabernacle choir (who incidentally were not that impressive - it's easy to sound okay with 400 people, try doing that with a 12 voice madrigal group! But I digress.....) and we miss the choral environment. We've talked about getting back into it over the years, but we don't have time.
posted by Big_B at 9:10 AM on March 28, 2008

Not exactly choir singing, but I'm a huge fan of Sacred Harp singing and other shape note traditions. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any examples during my rather cursory overview of the listings.

On the other hand, I've always felt that children's choirs should be seen and not heard.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 9:48 AM on March 28, 2008

Best of the best of the web. Thanks.
posted by straight at 10:30 AM on March 28, 2008

JOY! I found an amazing London Phil recording of my all time favorite hymn:
Once to Every Man and Nation. - lyrics.

This hymn is the reason I refuse to switch from the Pilgrim Hymnal to the New Century. New Century wouldn't include it because it's not neutral enough (once to every man and nation, etc.) Which is a real shame, because it was written to protest the U.S.'s war with Mexico.
Lowell, the hymn, and the abolitionist movement.
An interesting essay on some of the theological issues present in the hymn.
A lovely rendition on the violin.
Played on the guitar.
Terrifying home-school family singing it.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 12:56 PM on March 28, 2008

I was one of the charter members of #50, The Gulf Coast Youth Choirs (formerly one choir, the Gulf Coast Girl Choir). I was 11 at the time and stayed in the choir until I was 16 or 17. While I can't seem to link to it, the GCGC performance of Reel a'Bouche linked on the GCYC's audio page includes me. Actually, that isn't a recording of the GCGC singing that song. I believe it was a southeastern regional choir that myself and two other girls from the choir auditioned for. I think the recorded performance is of that choir and not the GCGC proper. Hell, even if it is and I don't remember, I'm in there somewhere.
posted by inconsequentialist at 7:03 PM on March 28, 2008

Oh yeah, so thank you for allowing me to return so unexpectedly to one of the most important times and organizations in my life. Singing really used to be my main passion and Lynne Gackle, the director of the Gulf Coast Girl Choir and La Petit Chouer that I belonged to, was not only a role model and mentor to me for many years of my adolescence, but an amazing friend to both me and my family.
posted by inconsequentialist at 7:15 PM on March 28, 2008