St. Olaf Choir - My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord

[VanSensei]

The way Dr. Armstrong handles this song is...damn near INCREDIBLE.

[Elleinlincoln]

@samjohnsteindelaware So true!

[samjohnsteindelaware]

The hall wouldn't have handled this song at a much quicker tempo, you wouldn't have understood a word!

[jelonkers]

dopeeeeeee

[syrus96]

spirituals didn't really become fast, or "jubilees", until they were made in to "classical choir" arrangements. I love how it starts out slow and soulful, and starting at the second part of the song, becomes more of a jubilee. I don't know his intent, but Dr. Armstrong knows what he is doing. I personally like some of the faster renditions, but I really enjoyed the change of pace and mood this recording created.

[choirgeek82]

Years ago I was in a college honor choir with Dr. Armstrong conducting. He said something that has stuck to me to this day. We were working on a gospel piece and one of the altos said, "We are just too white to sing this." He stopped the rehearsal and looked directly at her and said, "Would you say I am too black to sing Bach?" It changed my life. It is all about understanding the style and composers intent. Not whether you are too "white."

[gmmetfan7]

Dr.Armstrong turns around at the end? He's such a legend. I sang this at NYSSMA All-State with Dr.Daniel Bara. We were pretty close to the tempo marking, but this is incredible in a different way. We used the piece to show off our power by being quick and loud, this shows power through control. Really a remarkable interpretation, not many choirs nor conductors can pull it off. St.Olaf and Dr.A are both certainly up for it.

[Scootersinger]

Oh yes!!!

[icmom3]

This is my favorite choral piece ever. I could listen to it over and over. So much power!

[sp0590]

St. Olaf is so white. The vowels sound like spread high school sopranos. The d on anchored and Lord sounds forced.The passion of spiritual is completely lost. The tempo really isn't an issue for me. The expression isn't there. I don't believe them.

[jakethewoz]

@sp0590 That's a really harsh critique, especially for a group that has such unity and power. I don't hear hardly any forced sounds, let alone "spread vowels" that makes this group sound like a high school choir.

It's strange that you start with "St. Olaf is so white." This performance is the most expressive and passionate I've ever seen of Anchored, and believe you me, I've seen a lot of Anchoreds, so I'm left wondering about the real source of your criticism.

[mwdot12]

@jakethewoz You may now have a new favorite "anchored." It is a different arrangement, it is fun, even though I respect the Hogan arrangement greatly. I also respect the Olaf choir, but think this choir is often overlooked. Give it a listen. It is the third song, but I think you will enjoy all 3 of them :-). .

[mwdot12]

@jakethewoz Sorry, the video I am referring to is Mixed Choirs- UH Concert Chorale....give it a listen :)

[spintotenor83]

@jake I had to comment. Yes, St. Olaf has a culturally "white" sound. For obvious reasons this isn't arguable. It's not bad, just true. The vowels are spread (light/bright voices need tall narrow vowels in spirituals). "Most expressive" ...musically maybe, "most passionate"...no. Passion is heard in the tone color.

Dr. Armstrong is brilliant! Great tempo choice for THIS choir.

The choirs' great choral sound has impact due to his tempo and excellence in vocal production and expression.

[kittycatknows]

@spintotenor83 i wouldn't so much say "white" as "midwestern" :)

[spintotenor83]

@kittycatknows I would rather use that term, however the the vast majority of choral groups that sing spirituals have a certain sound model (vocal timbre) and it expands beyond just the Midwestern region and even beyond the US borders as a I've heard about several groups in England sing spirituals. However, I am sure there is a better term I can use and I apologize for the exceptions and to those that take it offensively. Remember I am speaking accomplished vocal ensembles.

[sisazul]

@sp0590 I do not agree concerning the first two sentences, but you have a point- it sounds like a dragging hymn, NOT a spiritual. I have sang spirituals for 22 years now, and it lacks passion. It sounds like they are holding back, being cautious. It is very precise, and practiced, but it is far too squeaky clean. I hear no passion (mind you, I am not confusing volume with passion) at all until "Do you love Him?" and even then it is feeble in comparison to Moses Hogan Chorale's CD recording.

[justafriend9806]

i got chills this was truly an interpretation and WOW

[thetrulyricist]

3:25 gives me chills every time I hear it! Magnificent!

[jakethewoz]

Woa! That is the most exciting performance of this song I've ever heard! What a finish.

[dcwash1]

This is a great arrangement by Mr Hogan and an incredible performance by Dr Armstrong. He made this song sing!!

[randyjsing]

Amen...don't rush that spiritual! Milk it and sing it like you mean it. Get the "juice" out of every note! I love the unison "Hallelujah", then the tenors "will you praise Him" at about 3:40.

[reecty01]

wow. my school is kind of a rival to st. olaf in the respect of choirs, but even i am inspired watching that man conduct the last the chords of this song. look at how intense and passionate his movements are, not to mention the complete respect i have for his singers. such beauty of tonality and clarity of the chords. amazing preformance.

If you enjoy listening to the st olaf choir, check out Luther College's Nordic Choir on youtube. Both are amazing in different ways.

Great job. Thanks!

[rosahaxton]

The altos and sopranos singing "Hallelujah" in unison at the end was the best way I've ever heard it interpreted. I am mesmerized by this performance. And to anyone who has ever said this choir doesn't have soul, they just proved you wrong.

[dalecov]

in rs to moe4 anton took this tempo when demonstrating to the tema also-so I think he (me too) just perfers it

[dalecov]

and btw this performance KIX BUTT

[dalecov]

his tempos are MORE reflective of this! spirituasl style than the faster tempos of all-st choirs and even moses hogan!

[Sydney3518]

I just listened to a faster version. I definitely prefer this one.

[evifnoskcaj]

This is the second best performance of this piece that I have ever heard, second to only that of Moses Hogan's

[moe4psu23]

Penn State's Dr. Anthony Leach, an expert in the area of sacred and secular music of the African and African American tradition, likens the life and tempo of many spirituals to "grandmama's rocking chair." It has a steady pulse that never gets away from those involved in the music-making process.

[moe4psu23]

I think the slower tempo has to do with the acoustic of the space. Spaces with more resonant acoustics require more relaxed tempos so the group's presentation of the piece remains concise. Dr. Armstrong is second to none and certainly must have considered this when deciding the tempo for this piece.

[CrazyCatMan13]

Who dares to question God's Choir and His director?!?

[charverz]

We sing this in my church choir. What I like about this version, as compared to other ones posted, is the strength of the bass section. (I sing second bass.)

[snakeophelia]

I saw the St. Olaf Choir perform this song live in Princeton sometime in the early 2000's. There were many more singers than in this video, so perhaps it was the full touring choir? I don't know much about singing, or about gospel, but I do know their live version of this song will tear your hair off. It was magnificent!

[Castalis011]

Liked so hard.

[1037pm]

I do admire his style but for my personal taste and style, he took it too slow for me.

[coinsmr]

The voices are angelic. I'm trying to say something nice about the post through the middle of the choir. Couldn't you have stood next to that same post and gotten a video of the entire choir? What a concept!

[BariSwift81]

This is amazing!!! The different stylistic decisions, the clarity of the voices, the interpretation of certain segments, and the tone are ALL great!!! I love hearing different versions of masterpieces! Sometimes, I believe that we as musicians trap ourselves in a box by doing EVERY little detail as written by the composer/arranger. Music needs to be free, and interpretation is a great part of music that more musicains should explore!!! FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE!

[bro3830]

The beauty of music is the fact that no one performance is like the next, and the freedom you have in making it your own. It's called musical interpretation, and I think Hogan would be VERY pleased in hearing this interpretation of his work. They are still singing with conviction and you can feel it!! I'm loving it! ...and I'm more than certain that if they wanted to take the tempo any faster, it would not be a problem...

[deepbluenothing]

I think the debate here has strayed from a key idea in music--that it is subject to interpretation. While you may not personally respond to the slower tempo, I can tell you that each house we sang this in on tour was on their feet shortly after we finished, and we were all exhausted from singing it.

The tempo, among other things, may be different from what you are used to, but "different" does not mean "wrong." Keep your ears open and you'll enjoy all music more thoroughly.

[FrPhen]

I think the tempo is great. It helps to feel the piece more and it really shows of the groups ability to do drastic dynamic change. There is comething I heard of called "mastery of the slow", though even this tempo is not slow, but there are too many choirs out there who have a sense about them that "faster means better". With this piece, more is possible musically because of the tempo that they took.

[soleado10er]

There's nothing wrong with our tempo; as people have pointed out, this is a work song, not a square dance. The "life" of the piece comes from dynamic swells and a slow accelerando rather than blazing through the thing. (How do you enjoy a piece when you sing it as fast as possible?)

[prometheus91]

One has to also take into account the acoustical environment in which they are performing.  In that particular building, a faster tempo would make the entire piece muddy and disjointed. In the end, I would trust Dr. Armstrong's tempos far more than my own preferences.

[WarOnErrorism91]

Bravissima soprani!

[DSINGZ]

THIS VERSION IS DESENT it being this makes it mysterious when my school sang it was faster but its nice to see different interpretations of songs

[dependalytical]

Only in this forum would anyone dare challenge Dr. Armstrong's tempos. As a listener and singer I can tell you that the genius of his conducting is using these dangerously slow tempos that are still so full of motion and life when anyone else's choir would fall flat. Hearing St Olaf combines this anticipation for each chord while dreading the end of the last. I heard this anthem live and I will swear to my death that the mass of sound on that last chord literally pushed me back in my seat!!!

[twojsmi]

Brilliant.

[sunny0010girl]

@dependalytical So true! Slow tempos and anticipation make it extremely hard to stay together and sing in tune and well. This choir does it beautifully at his conducting

[darlingangelbaby]

@dependalytical ... I see what you mean, slower tempos can usually leave the sound completely exposed,but since this choir is soo awesome, it dosent matter

[mikeloredo12]

this was written for dr. sonja sepulveda which is my choir director! this is way too slow! but done well! look up the Brewton Parker concert choir!

[lordofdastrings76]

the st olaf choir is a complete marvel to the world of music. and that is thanks to Dr. Anton Armstrong. i had the great privilage to work with him at a church music conference at st olaf a few years ago, and it was absolutly amazing!

[Whatsmynameagain03]

Good women are much easier to find than good men for choral singing. St. Olaf has some of the best men I've ever heard. Love it!

[shosteryus]

nice sound, but far to slow...

[olegurl2010]

Dr. Armstrong and Moses were good friends and Moses commended Dr. A on his interpretation of the song. Many people fail to understand is that just because a composer puts a certain tempo marking doesn't mean that is the ONLY way to perform it. If you REALLY listened to this song you would hear that there is a gradual accelerando which is how many spirituals are performed. I'm pretty sure that Dr. Armstrong knows what he's doing and Moses obviously didn't object.

[twojsmi]

Why is it everytime I hear the St. Olaf choir sing, I am moved emotionally with tears, physically with chills, and spiritually with joy? They just have that ability. God bless them, and Dr. Armstrong.

[mlt021]

I've worked with Dr. Armstrong for the past few days at UNT's All-State Choir Camp and he can be pretty tough, but the end result is loving and feeling every bit of what you sing. We learned 8 songs top to bottom, from language to musicality, in 4 days, and we couldn't have sounded better. It is a blessing and an honor to say that I've met him and worked with him. Because of how gracefully he leads, I fell in love with music all over again.

[ribalding]

Wish you could hear the basses here.

Dr. Armstrong came and did a our choir retreat a few years back. We did this piece (tiny bit quicker). Almost killed us, but after three 12 hour days, we did a passable job.

[abercrombie9153]

WOW!!!! How powerful. I love the slower tempo. So moving. I got to sing this with Moses Hogan...I love this.

[BeckerXJohnsonX]

o ya, and the tenors kick ass at 4:01, their tone is UNBELIEVABLE... so unreal!

[dezellp]

I'm not feelin this!!! The tempo takes away from the excitement and represntation of a spiritual. Spirituals are done with intensity and conviction and this rendition lacked that. Beautiful tone, dynamics and pitch isn't all that brings life to spirituals.

[musicallynclined11]

thank you

[mrcoolguy2010]

I love the tempo of this song.!

Because slaves didnt work fast in the cotton fields or doing any thing outside....I love win a director take the music and really look at it...and take what they know about the piece of music and put in there dirceting...and this song is more like telling somebody that my soul's been anchored have yours.? and you wouldnt say to nobody all extra fast my soul's been anchored in the lord. becuz they woundnt believe you.! THIS TEMPO ROCKS.!

[ahauswal]

St. Olaf.....pretty much rocks!

[olegurl2010]

For all of you who think this is too slow obviously don't know that Dr. Armstrong (the conductor) and Moses were good friends and that Moses (and Andre Thomas, another spiritual/gospel guru) compliment(ed) the way he conducts these songs.

[billyjack0807]

I heard this song at a choir adjudication, adn loved it but, but this is great!. I like how they took it slow, but maybe a little faster, but it still was beautifully done.

[musicallynclined11]

whoever there director is takes everything slow listen to the city called heVEN

[montcrue90]

not trying to be a d-bag, but the fact that you don't know of the director means that you probably don't know what you're talking about. He conducts one of the best choirs in the nation and has one of the most coveted teaching jobs among choral directors. I think its refreshing to hear Dr. Armstrong take this spiritual slow. I've heard quite a few other choirs perform this piece at this speed and it sounds great.

[musicallynclined11]

im going on based on what ive heard from this choir and this song. why the hell would i need to know the director? that has nothing to do with it. and yoou thinking its refershing is your opinion and it being to slow is mine. I KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT CAUSE I HEARD THE LATE GREAT MOSES HOGAN WHO ARRANGED THIS VERSION CONDUCT IT HIS SELF. SO I THINK THAT GAVE ME A LITTLE INSIGHT ON THE TEMPO.

[kidnflorida]

I'm sure to you it doesn't meet your quota for loud and fast and exciting spiritual songs. This is a work song... think of the history behind these songs... you think they were happy and excited at what they had to do and face? Dr. Armstrong is an amazing conductor, having worked with him several times!

[musicallynclined11]

and actually again im going based on moses hogan version so im sure thats how its supposed to sound. and if you take it so slow it gets boring. DONT GET ME WRONG SOME SPRITUALS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SLOW BUT THIS ISNT ONE OF THEM !!!!!! FOR EXAMPLE ALL MY TRIAL ARRANGEMENT BY NORMAN ...SOMETHING IS A SLOW SPRITUAL BUT NOT THIS ONE.

[firefann]

on the other hand, the choir looks good.

[firefann]

yeah i have to agree with scwlabon1. this is WAY too slow! i have a feeling that they did it this way because of the acoustics. but in my opinion, they need to just not sing the song! this is HORRID!!!!! i mean they can sing, but they are butchering the tempo of the song!!!! MR. HOGAN IS SPINNING IN HIS GRAVE!!!!!

[TuskegeeFellow]

The notes are there, but the spirit is not! They have not convinced me that their souls have been anchored. The spirit is the largest part of the spiritual! It's very one dimensional.

[aiduhhh]

watch the acda national honor choir 09's version of this.

moses hogan is amazing.

RIP.

[Scwlabon1]

this sounds horrrible lol

[rsisd2]

r u mental?

[Scwlabon1]

I know my music and clearly this isn't suppose to be sung THAT SLOW!!! read the music that Hogan has written and CLEARLY NO ONE IS SUPPOSE TO BE SINGING IT THAT SLOW ..THANKYOU!!! like i said it sounds fuckin horrible!!!

[31villarreal]

I beg your pardon lol. I'm a voice major and a damn good singer you obviously don't see the difficulty in singing this song this slow. Ya i think its a tad slow. but for you to be all crazy is retarded they did do a good job

[Scwlabon1]

Oh Thats Good!! But Sorry I"ve Beeen singing For 18 years now and I've song with the World Renoun Chicago Childrens Choir and I know My music VERY Well. So Let me Give u A lesson. Either You Sing the music the way it was composed or you dont sing it at all!!! And Also If U understood the Acoustics of that Church you would realize that Singing My Souls Been Anchored Composed by The GREAT Moses Hogan was a bad idea!!!

[Hinoko007]

lol. you OBVIOUSLY don't know that music is up for interpretation. and i think that they did this very well

[musicallynclined11]

you are hoeing the shit out of yourself!!!!!!! THAT DOESNT EVEN MAKE SENSE

[olelzac]

Yeah. Once you sing with grownups, you can talk.

[wmdb1299]

and i could here every last word that the Moses hogan chorale said..

[wmdb1299]

ok... let me explain AGAIN ...i think Moses Hogan knew what he doin why u ask i will tell you

1. HE IS INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN

2. HE CHORALE SUNG AT THE FUCKIN WHITE HOUSE

3. HE HAD AN ARTICLE IN TIME MAGAZINE

4. HE IS THE KING OF SPIRITUALS

5. NOT DR. ARMSTRONG.....

[CalebNihira]

dr. armstrong KINDA knows what he's doing. and usually has specific reasons that are grounded in years of research. his title IS doctor. moses hogan NO DOUBT heard dr. a's interpretation of it. now, who's to say, this is right and that is wrong? no one. its music. but i do get sick of so many people thinking that music has to be fast and "impressive" in order to be meaningful. when you listen to the mo-ho chorale do it, its so fast you can barely understand what they're saying. both and good.

[wmdb1299]

OK this is beautiful, BUT it is defeating the purpose. (NO OFFENSE). But "white" people think they can sing everything legato but you cant.. If you havent noticed this is a SPIRITUAL. Not a Madrigal. Its takes 2 different techniques. When I first heard Mr. Hogans chorale sing this I got chills when they sung the first note. This does not give me chills...it makes me fall asleep. if I was a judge u would have got a 2, and yes I'm black.

[konduktor53]

Nice. Very interesting that the St. Olaf interpretation of this arrangement seems to be the one most choirs use. However, their tempo is DRAMATICALLY slower than what Moses Hogan intended. Moses himself conducted/recorded this song almost twice as fast. And personally I think it sounds twice as good. Check it out.

[showofas]

I wish my choir would sing it with this amount of dedication and energy and my conductor's dynamics. They are so lazy, and hearing this makes me shudder at what we must sound like to everyone else if we suck from the inside. Goodness.

[CalebNihira]

it just doesn't get much better than this.

[MeahMeah01]

This piece is so tight!!My choir is doing it and I sing the bass part I wish we could do it like them from 54-1min.

[Oaktownrob]

Moses Hogan certainly heard the St Olaf Choir sing this arrangement. In fact, he probably rehearsed the choir during his visits to the college. God rest his soul!

[colorguardprincess]

Moses Hogan missed out on hearing his work done right...

[musicallynclined11]

how could he miss out on it being done "right" WHEN HE CONDUCTED HIS OWN CHIOIR DOING IT HISSELF??????

[colorguardprincess]

It's a compliment. They did so beautifully. Moses Hogan may or may not have heard St. Olaf, but if he did not, he missed out. This is how it should be done. That's all.

[musicallynclined11]

they did, dont get me wrogn but you dont say that whoever is conducting this, conducted it better than the conductor and arranger his damn self!!! that is so disrespectful!

[colorguardprincess]

I'm not being disrespectful! Have you heard the Chorale version? Oh. My. God. It's so amazing. But most of the conductors do not truly pay attention to Mr. Hogan's markings. I'm lucky enough to have a director who knew him personally, but many other directors don't pay attention. Mr. Hogan would have been proud, I think. Actually, I know, since my director actually commended me on finding a version close to his visions. Sorry, but I know what I'm talking about.

[musicallynclined11]

your saying it was done better than his own chorale ..which in my opinion is disrespectful..yea he may had been proud of this version but i dont think he'd say they did it better then his own chorale . this is wat ur sayin.."MOST DIRECTORS DONT FOLLOW HIS TEMPO MARKINGS" ..ps YET HE DID CONDUCT HIS OWN CHORALE version BUT ANOTHER DIRECTOR CAN INTERPRET HIS SONG BETTER THAN He can..maybe you should think about what you saying before you type it out... just GO WATCH MR. HOGANS VERSION!!!!!!!!!

[colorguardprincess]

Honey, maybe you should do the same... "Have you heard the Chorale version? Oh. My. God. It's so amazing." Where exactly did I say that Dr. rmstrong did it better then Mr. Hogan? Oh, wait... That's right... I didn't... I complimented BOTH arrangements... Oops. Maybe next time you want to sound smart you should pick an argument with someone who knows you. Since making stuff up is SO not the way to go.

[musicallynclined11]

Y R U to STUPID to realize that your contradicting the hell out of yourself and sound a mess when you CLEARLYdont know what the hell you like! Just read your comments and when your COMPREHENDhow what you said is disrespectful then reply because im getting real agravated with THIS BULLSHIT.andEVERYONEaround me IS SMART! Thats why you should ask THEM 2 PROOFREAD YOUR COMMENTS cause you sound LIKE a ignorant caucassin person who thinks they can do SPRITUALS better than the people who made them!

[colorguardprincess]

I NEVER SAID I CAN DO SPIRITUALS BETTER THAN MOSES HOGAN! I am not contradicting myself. I have always said that the Chorale is the best; it's amazing. This version happens to also be really, really good. Why not focus on the musicality? That's something that Mr. Hogan did quite a bit of. If you know ANYTHING about him, you'd know that he wrote music with great care. This is carefully thought out and well executed. And for the record, I am smart, but you don't have a reason to say that I'm not.

[musicallynclined11]

you did not say that the chorale version was the best at the begining of this argument. you clearly are contradicting yourself. do me a favor and read your previous comments.

[colorguardprincess]

I have read my comments, to make absolutely sure that what I've said is the same throughout this argument. Please tell me where you think that I STARTED being contradictory. Is it because I'm elaborating? I think this is a wonderful, beautiful piece of music, done the right RESPECTFUL way. That said, I think that the Chorale version is absolute GENIUS. I love it. It, too, is done the right way (obviously). Mr. Hogan's Chorale did it one way, Dr. Armstrong's choir did it another way. I love both.

[musicallynclined11]

contradicting yourself again..now the chorale version is the right way and just a second ago it was this one. please just stop replying to my comments because you are now making a fool of yourself

[JSchnabbs]

@musicallynclined11 @colorguardprincess you guys are hilarious

[thomp7521]

Dr Armstrong is amazing

[AggieMaestro]

This is delicious!

[sethbresky]

haha the drop in height of the bass IIs is me :-p