Counterpoints 2006 John The Revelator

[sopraltenass13]

awesome.

[martinnj1]

Really, dude in the top row? A hand? In your jacket pocket? Yeah, that's right.. I noticed...

[vampirepancake]

ahhhhh



[justie1220]

This is a district choir piece for me this year! I absolutely LOVE it!

[sweetpea7292]

ooo. i get goose bumps. :D

[DonaPax]

Let's hear it for the piano player, too! Great!

[OrangeSodaKing]

@DonaPax I have played the piano part, it takes a bit of practice, but it's a ton of fun. I didn't get to accompany my choir when we sang this, though.

[shaggy2Lance]

I am impressed with the clapping!!!! To me that was the hardest part of this piece.

[bigsick3270]

I love these altos!

[Starfire0603]

WOW!!!!!!!!! This is FREAKING AMAZING!! We are doing this right now in my choir! I hope we end up as good as this! :D

[angeleyez101]

This is AMAZING!! My choir is doing this now and I was trying to find one that I could sing and practice with and this is DEFINITELY it!! you guys were dead on.

[CountryFordGirl26]

Wow that was a really great job. Our high school choir is learning this piece this semester..it's a lot of fun.

[doomie747]

We sang this for the B.A.C.H. festival at UNO. Didn't sound nearly this good, though. I'm guessing that's because we only had three days to learn our music.

[liveforlife2494]

This is amazing! Tone, dynamics, everything! WONDERFUL job. I'm in my high school's chamber choir and we learned the entire piece today....still need to go through weeks of polishing it, and even more for it to match your standards. Awesome!

[Th3Adopteds]

AWESOME

[sheerluck]

This version has caught the eye of guitarist-tootsie-roll-lover Steve Vai

MusicRadar interviewed him at NAMM 2011 where he directly referenced this performance

[MandyCWagoner]

I loved it :) a little too fast but my chorus director used this video to show our class an example of the song and seeing it made me love the song when earlier I didn't like it. Y'all have an amazing blend and the claps were well done too, it was very crisp and sassy as many others have said. Over all, very good job :)

[xx4L3Xxx18]

@whatupiact YESSSSSSS SASSY SOPRANO!

[ampitupxproductions]

i am soooooooo excited to do this for county chorus!

it is phenomenal! :D

~connie

[shayner1234]

@ampitupxproductions i just did this song for county chorus too. was it in wyalausing?

[ampitupxproductions]

@shayner1234 yeahh man(:

[XtremeMind84]

This is really great. My former high school choir director saw this performance and she contacted the director of this choir to congratulate her on the good job she did with the choir. My old high school director has chosen this song as the showpiece song for her Advanced Choir this school year. They are performing it this week at a competition for a cash prize if they rank first. I'll write back with hopefully a positive update. Great job!

[DJGoldenGraham2]

Technically, this is fantastic, but emotionally, I feel like something is missing here. It almost feels too programmed/robotic. Just my opinion.

I won't deny, you guys sound fantastic though.

[bxdrkid]

@DJGoldenGraham2 i agree its missing that passion that makes any song rise above all.

[ChocolateCaliente062]

You have SUCH good facial expressions. I'm having such a good time watching this. And I think that the choice for singing " Writing" and "Revelator" like: "Wriding" and "Revelador" was SPOT ON, it helps bring out the Gospel in the song.

[ChocolateCaliente062]

I can honestly say... I'm in love.

[geoflo1024]

What? No ad lib soloists?

[sweetpea7292]

Ahhh! I Love this song!! The last time I heard it I was in the Jr. High Womens All Region Choir and the Sr. Mixed All Region Choir sang it as their finall number! It was amazing!!

[jysoccerboy19]

Man this was impressive.

though it wasnt written to be sing that fast, you guys rocked it. much love.

[AndrewMarcell]

You guys totally ROCKED this song! Hands down the best recording of this that I've seen on YouTube. Congratulations!

I appreciate the high quality recording equipment used -- not just some bozo's digital camera like the ones I've uploaded ;). However, I would have liked the last minute of this video cropped off. We don't need to see them exit the stage.

[jcommyn]

I don't like the "Whad is he wriddin'." I don't know if they're going for a particular style but...

[jamgypsy]

Enjoyed seeing and hearing this rendition of a great piece sung well. The Frostburg State University Chamber Choir (MD) also performed this and believe me, it ain't easy! The CP took it at a faster clip than we did--kudos to that rockin' pianist. I think the intent expressions mentioned below were probably due to the choristers concentrating hard on the music. Rhythms were good and the last note didn't sound out to me--it's a dissonant chord. Congrats on the award!

[jamgypsy]

Enjoyed seeing and hearing this rendition of a great piece sung well. The Frostburg State University Chamber Choir (MD) also performed this and believe me, it ain't easy! The CP took it at a faster clip than we did--kudos to that rockin' pianist. I think the intent expressions mentioned below were probably due to the choristers concentrating hard on the music. Rhythms were good and the last note didn't sound out to me--it's a dissonant chord. Congrats on the award!

[eighttypesofcrazy23]

God it's so good to hear someone who can actually perform this piece. my choir completely butchered this.

[BOPxTILLxUxDROP]

Wow! Almost as good as Ashley High School c/o 2005!

[abydosianchulac2]

Musically very good, but what is with all the smug, vacuous smiles on everyone's faces? I'm all for getting rid of the tradition of the blank, this-is-me-singing expression on high school choir members, but this is almost worse because it's so out of place. It just makes it seem like you spent so much time on the musical aspects of the performance that you completely ignored the textual elements. You are talking about prophecies of Armageddon, after all.

[gvsuvmen]

an amazing high school choir.. PERIOD..

[ElTatasAndLaBooty]

University High School is doing this tonight. We have the same problem with rushing through clapping. I feel as if this piece was reaching to hard to be good.

[TheJanneman27]

It's sung waaaaaaaaaaaaay to fast! There is no way I can appreciate a song that is sung so quickly... I couldn't identify or respond to any emotion or emotional climaxes because it sounded like a bunch of asthmatic choristers on stage...

[14775573]

Well done! This work is very hard to pull off, but you guys did an excellent job!

[music1teach]

OOOOh Lawd yall children better sing!!!'' Excellent job!! Bravo to your director - she is baaad!!! :-)

[singingrugbybard]

overwhelmed with the soul, excellent job

[mentemmortalia]

i dont think we acan do this with our 20= high school concert choir

[cdaae3]

this is stunning, awesome job! Congrats.

[DieHardTwilighterFan]

mannn that was raddd, this song is our hw for over the holiday break....im in highschool chamber choir, hope we might sound that good =D

[Victorian9322]

We just sang this! It wasn't nearly as good as yours. But hey, we're high schoolers.

[surlaweht]

@Victorian9322 so are/ were they when they did this

[kaleem32]

@Victorian9322 they are too lol

[misssssssblue444]

soo good!!!!

[chron123]

you guys did it fantastically

hats off to your claps, stomps, high Bs, etc XD

[MasterCjay]

Holy crap... i remember doing this for All-State my.... sophomore or junior year, in Iowa. i really didn't like the song, but it's fun to perform.

[musefeverfever]

when we sang this we got into it and went over the top lol

[igothipss]

holy shit. and i thought my concert choir in college did this well..

[spazmodic23]

I thought this was a very good performance. This song is rhythmically complex which makes it hard to pull off. You guys must've worked your butts off to get it... great job!

[tgioacchini]

composer... or where can i get this arrangement?

[Alexandria1812]

John The Revelator

Paul Caldwell/ Sean Ivory

[ninjatenor17]

excellent job very accurate claps i just couldnt understand some of the words .a slower tempo might have solved that ,otherwise really good

[paramore412]

well I thought it was amazing

[amandasmom1024]

good technique and notes, but it really wasn't that interesting or that great.

[TikkleMeTorry]

Agreed, the last note was flat =/

[spike423]

haha not to sound like an ass or anything... but saying 'the last note was flat' is VERY vague considering it is a stacked A minor chord with funky voicing. I personally didnt hear any flat notes. Comparing each pitch to the tonic bass note on the Piano...its sounded fine.

[TikkleMeTorry]

Sorry, I meant to agree with markymarkstyle. The soprano note was flat at the end.

I'm singing this song in chorus too and I sing soprano so that's probably why I'm a bit more judgemental about it =P

[born2broadway]

It's a ninth chord in the key of a-harmonic minor, but in this case it's polytonal. The soprano note, the high B natural, was right on.

[HGGFordPrefect]

Owned.

[tayloraharley]

@TikkleMeTorry the guys were flat on the ending, which made the sopranos flat. the altos were fine.. but it autocorrected and the trail out was right. i performed this with my choir and we had some trouble with being flat at the ending as well. not an easy song, i promise you that.

[mkelk0530]

@TikkleMeTorry Arent they high schoolers... And they won leave it be. Theyre BRILLIANT

[mkelk0530]

@TikkleMeTorry and... it wasnt that flat...

[defying4266]

our chamber chours is doing this song ....but our clapping is not eaxactly the best...

[versatyle45]

Far far far too fast. Technique over all is solid, hwoever I see a lack of power behind the voices and the lines have minimal growth.

Oh sure sure...you have growth in the easier lines, but where is the consistency?

Sorry, it just doesn't excite me.

Solid work..but to call it excellent would be overstating it, b/c I feel you could do sooooo much better.

[born2broadway]

So what excites you? A choir that has terrible breathing, claps that aren't together, and bad interpretation? This group wins every year for a R E A S O N. Thanks, have a nice day.

[lileema8]

OMG!!!! that was so awsome!!!!!

my chior is gonna do this song for our spring concert this year!

yall were on point wit them claps!!

great job

[markymarkstyle]

tough ending for those sopranos in those final notes.

[hefftay522]

my choir is doing this song right now and we cant seem to grasp the clapping part (:

haha

[kiwic16]

My choir sang this song a few years ago at the same tempo and i love it! You guys did an excellent job! The only thing I liked about ours that was different withours is that we had a soloist during the clapping :)

[paramore412]

they are amazinggg.

lmao I liked that tenor in the back doing the dance.

[RedKaioShadow]

Our choir did this song, and we did it slower. We also had a soloist singing at the clapping part. I don't like the song as much it as much faster, but it works.

[laurenallisonjohnson]

great sound but you may want to work on teh facial expressions they did not work

[JMarieMuzicsAngel]

excellent job!! it was kind of fast but it was and excellent performance

[Stanleh]

I will agree that they do sound pretty good. However the facial expressions are obnoxious, borderline tacky. Some are more over the top than others. The tempo is quite fast, I'm not sure how I feel about that. It's not all that impressive that they are standing in sections. Mixed is the best way to go. That way you have to know your part.

[sarcie8806]

We work every year changing positions until our director hears the sound she likes. She is very particular about the way we stand every year. Each person is meticulously placed. Mixed is not always best.

[Stanleh]

But mixed is more impressive. You have to know your music and not just mimic your voice part and use them as a crutch. Putting people in different places mixed can alter the sound. If it doesn't sound good mixed then the director has messed up the order and should go through and mix them up again. DIfferent voices blend better with others. You can't just stick any one any where. It doesn't work like that.

[HGGFordPrefect]

Reread what you are responding to. Pat Wiehe spends a huge amount of time figuring out where everyone should stand and what voices blend.

[Stanleh]

Good! Now mix it up! You're good enough for it.

[HGGFordPrefect]

If you watch other videos I think you'll find that CP frequently does sing in mixed positions. It just happens that sometimes Mrs. Wiehe thinks its better not to. She is responsible for nine consecutive ISSMA state championships, she generally knows whats best :)

[born2broadway]

It's smart! This year at quals, I thought so many times that mixed arrangement is NOT for everyone! Although some people think you're not skilled if you stand in sections. That is not the case.

[sarcie8806]

did i not just type that she places us meticulously? we are just still in girl guy positions. she gets it....but thanks for the suggestion

[vocbro]

This is outstanding. You made the faster tempo work for you.

[Shinofan02]

Somewhat fast, and the "Wri-" syllable of "Writing" in the beginning would have sounded better if they were accentuated more (In order to bring out the Blues feeling of this song); Other than that, this was an absoultely phenomenal performance.

[emeraldsongbird]

Holy. freaking. crap. This choir is AMAZING. They all have great facial expressions and beautiful dynamics. I'm VERY impressed...

[bbbiggs]

all the tenors look gay, but good job.

[aublus01]

that was amazing

[Rudziewicz]

Wow! Really, really nice. One of the best sounding groups on this piece on YouTube.

[igothipss]

that was the shit. i love hearing smaller ensembles perform this one. the dynamics and diction was amazing, and you white people really got that clappy thing going on. my ensemble stumbled all overrrrr that. 10 out of 10.

[dutne86]

we did this for TMEA my senior year in high school

[asdfjkljessica]

god, i'm jealous.

[Dreadmore]

way to ruin a great song

[satBASS]

wtf, this was amazing wat are you talking about?

[Dreadmore]

its gay

[satBASS]

naw i think it was pretty good. tone was great blend was good, unless its the performance itself u didnt like?

[blasianFMA]

ruined?? this is one of the best performances of this piece on Youtube! I just wish they would have put the solos in there. I know they're not on the score, but it's just one of those understood things...

[Stanleh]

They ruined it. It's way too fast.

[danoglesby1]

OMG! I remember being in CP singing this! In 2004!! GO CP!!!

[HGGFordPrefect]

Some of you seem to be of the opinion that Counterpoints are robots. That is a very simple misconception, allow me to set the record straight. We are in fact Cybernetic Organisms: Cyborgs. We are flesh grafted onto machine parts, in order to look more human and conceal our mechanical bodies. We are incapable of complex human emotion. When we are not singing, we are stored in the basement. We have been told this is a depressing existence, however we cannot feel sadness. We cannot feel anything.

[satBASS]

LMAO! wow well its perfectly fine if they think u look like robots, because u are AMAZING singers! i mean that. People are gonna find something to hate on, dont worry about it. you guys are great.

[JAnthony37]

You are absolutely right!!

[HhHbigE33HhH]

recruiting robots

[iceygurl4ya]

Wow, this is really good. My choir is doing this song right now, but we do not quite have the percision as this choir does but we are getting there. This choir could take it to the next level by actually moving around and showing more expression on their faces. But still good:)

[HhHbigE33HhH]

i hate robots

[mpdizzle9]

It is absolutely not too slow. This is outstanding.

[mark5953]

way to fast slow down

[Swiffkick2000]

too fast? are you serious?

[youfoolishmuggle]

there are different ways to interpret it.

[2071140]

We are about to start this piece. After seeing this I cant wait to start! One word...AMAZING.

[funnygirl4313]

North Central is amazing. I'm a BD grad and was the Giant Spectacular this past Saturday. They swept solos, women's show choir, and mixed show choir. Yeah...pretty much the best choir out there.

[RageGuardian]

North Central has like the best choir in the state I wonder how they'll do this year.

[HhHbigE33HhH]

North Central is the best choir in the state because they recruit

[GeneralAnesthesia]

what do you mean?

[ethand108]

I'm not saying that this is a bad version of this song, I'm just not sure that it encompasses the lyrics and the feelings as it should. It looks like a bunch of robots singing...

[honestlyfunnayx3]

ew, the altos are like.. talking their notes. and your tones suck. you guys sound too happy.. do you even know what the song is about? terrible. when you guys sing you look like conceited stuck up people...

[blckglam]

who wrote this version! ya'll did this. i judged the women be for i knew there true sound. tyes black boys double clapping! i live for ya'll

[AndyMcDandy]

Moses hogan...i think...

[NCCgray]

arranged by Paul Caldwell and Sean Ivory

written befor hogan's time

[GosfordAbercrombie]

And you retards should actually listen to the TMEA version before calling this one amazing!!!! You obviously don't know what choral singing is!!!

[bvc3369]

You all should check out the TMEA All State Mixed Choir perform this piece from back in Spring 2005...it was amazing. This is an outstanding performance of the piece, however it doesn't compare to that of an All-State ensemble. But it shouldn't be able to compare either since it is just a local high school after all...lol...And YES, the TMEA All State Choir is the single most competitive and prestigous High School ensemble in the Nation, check the stats...But Anyways, Great Group Here...;)

[SUNSNARE06]

umm no, New York is more competitive since our all state choir is smaller than yours so therefore its harder to make ours

[GosfordAbercrombie]

OK this goes to showchoir, jetson, and sunrise or whatever:

I really don't care if they're from Indiana! That doesn't make them good! Secondly, TMEA All-State Mixed Choir is nothing but HS students! Thirdly, good singing is not spread vowels and bright, Broadway sound!!!! They're obviously not a show choir since, duh, they're not dancing!!!

[SUNSNARE06]

yea but you idiot, TMEA is an ALL STATE choir which is made up by kids who audition from all over the state, Counterpoints is not an All State choir, they are merely a high school choir from a school in Indiana with just normal high school kids in it, probably just like you. With that in mind, this is a very good high school choir, probably one of the better high school choral programs in the country, your comparing apples to oranges when comparing an all state choir to a high school choir

[NCCgray]

Well actually they are a showchoir.

They are call the Counterpoints.

they do both showchoir and concert choir

[Showchoir3607]

GosfordAbercrombie you have no fucking clue what you are talking about this performance is awesome. their attention to the little things makes it great! you need to learn what good singing is!

[adonai89]

Pretty good.

I liked the speed and the clapping was the best i've heard.

It would have been cool if you had soloists like the TMEA All-State Choir 05 during the "tell us what he's writtin'" part to keep it alive.

Other than that . . LOVED it.

:D

[Swiffkick2000]

OUTSTANDING!! I am floored by your attention to dynamics. This performance is actually exciting!! Great work! Extremely clean!

[RoseofGilead]

Really nice performance. It's always so funny to me to watch performances of this song. No matter what choir is doing it or who is conducting, the group ALWAYS speeds up towards the middle. It makes me laugh every time (and makes me feel better for my choir doing the same thing when we performed the song).

[jetson888]

Gosford your an idiot, this is the best choir in Indiana. This group has won the state championship in choir for the past 5 years + ... I forgot exactly how long. This group is good, everyone is experienced. Do you hear the energy? Listen to a lot of other groups on here, you won't find some real good stuff that this group doesn't have.

[GosfordAbercrombie]

This fuckin sux!!!!! TMEA All-State is so much better!!!!

[SUNSNARE06]

your probably from Texas right? You moron, this is a high school choir and stop thinking that just because your from Texas, your better than everyone, just because George Bush is from Texas doesnt mean your state is better

[nickteedo]

who is that retard in the back row, in the middle on the right? he wont stop bobbing his head, he doesnt look right.

[jokuly]

gave me CHILLS! i never saw this one live...dang

[crimsonpride08]

wow, i'lve never seen a choir with expressions like this choir's. you can see it in their faces that they KNOW their good, because they are!

[Sammys0sa]

oh you guys are good i was rolling when you guys hit the churp double clap on them keep up the good work hopefully i will be able to see you guys perform in person.

[born2broadway]

thanks SO MUCH for posting this- i love it!