Choral Music Magazine
JUNE/JULY ISSUE
A few weeks ago I received an email from my old conductor from The American Boychoir School (ABS), Dr. James Litton, known to many as Jim, and known to a multitude of others as one of the nation's leading choral conductors. He extended an invitation to join a small group of ABS alumni for a recording in New York City. I was honored to be asked, and even more thrilled to see familiar faces and hear the magnificent sound of The American Boychoir again. The choir has made time amidst their busy 140+ concert year to fit in this recording project which also features the choir of St. Olaf College. The choirboys ranted about recently engagements like the 9/11 Presidential Prayer Service, Paul McCartney's Carnegie Hall debut of Ecce Cor Meum, Mahler’s 3rd with Boston Symphony Orchestra and James Levine, and of course sharing the stage with Beyoncé at the Oscars. I remember nothing but good times at ABS while there from 6th through 8th grade, and I took part in many similar performances. All those fond memories came rushing back when I saw my old choirmaster poised at the organ, an old choirmate proctoring, and several alumni sharing laughs. Amidst the nostalgia, I was reminded of some crucial technical aspects of recording that every singer should know.
THE VENUE
The space was pleasant for recording. The marble and wood allowed for good resonance, though not too much; the acoustic allowed the technicians to set the microphones to either pick up reverb from the entire space or focus on the sound produced by the choir before it rang throughout the entire space. This acoustical flexibility is crucial for making adjustments for things such as organ versus piano or warm spirituals versus booming English hymns, as was the case in this recording project.
There was room enough for risers and a full SATB choir. Unfortunately, sometimes the best acoustics have the least amount of performance space: often small stairways or none at all, or immense altars that evoke reverence and thus venerative distancing. Sometimes a space is just plain bad for lots of people to occupy – the floors creaking, pews rocking, windows slamming, and beams inhabited by bird's nests. Fortunately, this was not the case at St. George’s – things were well in order and soundly in place, but do beware that great acoustics do not always mean it’s a great places for a choir to record.
THE ENSEMBLE
THE MUSIC
For me, a big appeal was getting back to Princeton, NJ, the school’s beautiful campus, and the main building – an old mansion known simply as Albemarle. There, I’d had several hours of rehearsals a day for three years, on top of school, soirées, meals, gym, dances, and even a few ghost encounters, all of which thrilled me so much that I had no problem agreeing to return and record an album there. After getting reacquainted with campus and strolling through downtown Princeton, I had amassed enough sentimentality to match that required of the music. Directors, know your choristers, fill their hearts with pleasure, and give them music to express it, and you’ll have yourself a truly unforgettable album.
Singing with my former boychoir and hanging with my old friends and fellow alumni was truly a joy, and it showed in the music. Singing under the talented directors, Jim Litton and the current ABS Artistic Director Fernando Malvar-Ruiz made the recording project a smooth success. Hearing the sonorous chords of beautiful music in awe-inspiring venues gave me a true sense of satisfaction, and having a new album to reflect upon that is something I wish for all choristers, current and past. Singers, support your childhood choirs, cherish recounting experiences with the alumni, and remember the many considerations for recording.
Jonathon Hampton is Executive Editor of Choral Music Magazine. A Chicago native and Cornell University graduate, Hampton was previously a writer for the Cornell Daily Sun and now sings professionally in New York City after having launched his professional career performing across the San Francisco Bay Area as an Alto, Tenor, and Bass. His passion for choral music comes from 18 years of experience singing both sacred and secular music.
Photo Credit: Kate Albe
SINGING TO MYSELF: De Profundis
A portion of the recording took place at St. George’s Church on the lower east side of Manhattan. After a few minutes there, I sensed a feeling of déjà vu remembering the trumpet organ pipes in the choir loft, the smooth, dark wood across the nave, and the gorgeous marble of the chancel. I had been there before. I was sure of it. Then it hit me! There I had recorded a track for the album Grace with Kathleen Battle when I was the same age and wearing the same uniform as the very boys I was singing with as an alumnus. Life really does go full circle!
Nowhere else but in a recording session is it more evident that balance is crucial. In concert, the space can be somewhat manipulated – singers juxtaposed, shells used, risers added, or rows expanded. While recording, however, any motion, change of position, addition or elimination of physical elements, any of it can significantly alter the sound quality. A particularly difficult challenge is the lack of cohesive ensemble which can be a result of under-rehearsing professional singers with the assumption that the group will function fine together come performance time. Such a group may pull off a concert or mass, but a recording last much longer than an hour. For the sake of all those putting effort into its production and, ultimately, all those purchasing the CD, the ensemble should be well-prepared. There’s already significant pressure on the singers; quickly throw together a group of strangers or singers with different training backgrounds, and you could end up with a rather lengthy recording session and a less than fulfilling result. Though some alumni singers were late additions to the project, the majority had rehearsed and performed together, both with the recorded repertoire and on other occasions. Even more fortunate was the fact that a good deal of the singers (and the recording technician) were trained under the same baton – that of the aforementioned Jim Litton. The result was a warm, round, straight tone, and a consistent level of pride, professionalism, and musicianship.
No one wants to spend four hours a session recording music they wouldn’t even want to share with their friends. Sure they’ll get through it, and mom will get a copy. However, your singers won’t be as proud and won’t sing they way they would if it were music they had a choice in selecting. I enjoyed the repertoire of hymns and spirituals laid down for this album, as I’m sure the public will. Often though, there are instances when folks wish they could use the first take, even though barely decent, and move on. Conductors should have an open dialogue with their singers, and though singers should respect the decision and expertise of their conductors, they should also feel comfortable and even obliged to voice their ideas and desires. Fortunately for us, everyone seemed to enjoy the repertoire; many of us alumni were just happy to be a part of the recording process again and reconnected with others who sang and felt the same.
