December 2008
The Dale Warland Singers were America's premiere a capella choir for over three decades, and more than 20 of those seasons were graced by a remarkable event, their annual Echoes of Christmas concert. Hundreds of public radio stations carried the program each holiday season, and listeners far from the Singers' home base in Minnesota were captivated by the choir's warmth and virtuosity.
For 2008, we've created a one-hour Echoes of Christmas broadcast. With host Brian Newhouse, Dale Warland guides listeners through his favorite selections of the season. It is a mix of familiar carols (the most beautiful arrangement of "Silent Night" you're likely ever to hear) and an arresting performance of O Little Town of Bethlehem.
But you can also expect a surprise or two as Warland presents composers like Arvo Pärt and Javier Busto who create gorgeous contemporary pieces that gracefully capture the essence of Christmas.
Program Highlights:
Dale Warland grew up in the fields of northern Iowa, singing every day in a one-room schoolhouse and every week in the nearby country church. This was the simple beginning to one of the great careers in American music. His virtuoso 40-voice choir, the Dale Warland Singers, became his 'voice' to convey the many ways of celebrating Christmas. In this program, treasured old carols sit alongside brand new arrangements and commissioned pieces, and the hour's centerpiece is the Benjamin Britten classic, "A Ceremony of Carols."
Listen to the program
Musical Highlights:
Stephen Paulus: O Little Town of Bethlehem
Kathy Kienzle, harp
Margaret Jalkeus: Prepare the Way
Benjamin Britten: A Boy Is Born
Benjamin Britten: A Hymn to the Virgin
Benjamin Britten: Chorale
Jeffrey Van: Christmas Lullaby
Jeffrey Van, guitar
Kirke Mechem: Patapan
Kathy Kienzle, harp
Arvo Pärt: Magnificat
Marie Spar Dymit, solo
Kirke Mechem: Fum, Fum, Fum
Kathy Kienzle, harp
John Rutter: Cradle Song
Javier Busto: Ave Maria
Dale Warland: What Is This Fragrance?
Merilee Klemp, oboe
Mykola Leontovich: Carol of the Bells
Jeffrey Van (arr.): Silent Night
Jeffrey Van, guitar
