The choirs of Washington National Cathedral -- boys, girls, and adult altos, tenors, and basses -- have made great strides technically under director of music Michael McCarthy and have released a series of albums that can stand with those of the better-known professional choirs in the U.S. In this one they handle a variety of compositions and arrangements with confidence and a sense of controlled development of the program. The main reservations pertain to the billing of the album rather than to its actual contents. Buyers ...
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The choirs of Washington National Cathedral -- boys, girls, and adult altos, tenors, and basses -- have made great strides technically under director of music Michael McCarthy and have released a series of albums that can stand with those of the better-known professional choirs in the U.S. In this one they handle a variety of compositions and arrangements with confidence and a sense of controlled development of the program. The main reservations pertain to the billing of the album rather than to its actual contents. Buyers expecting that the title America the Beautiful would promise a selection of patriotic tunes will get satisfaction mostly at the beginning and end of the program, where the cathedral's organ and the talents of the Washington Symphonic Brass are deployed in arrangements of America, America the Beautiful, The Washington Post March, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, The Star-Spangled Banner, and The Stars and Stripes Forever. In between comes a selection of hymnody, both black and white,...
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