Concordia Choir "Our Father"

[isaac1348]

Why all this arguing and criticism?? Everyone is entitled to their own opinion of what should and should not be done, whether it be for the sound of the choir, or within the music itself. I am not saying that the Concordia Choir is the best choir in the world, although I am a freshman who will hopefully be in it one day, but I am saying that we need not debate anything. This is beautiful, this is pure, this is a great choir singing an amazing piece of music. Love it, enjoy it.

[NorthDakotaStBison1]

Both choirs (St. Ole & Concordia) are mere shadows of their rich tradition. Both choirs are gutless. Sad

[NorthDakotaStBison1]

I sang for Paul J for 4 years.  Renee should leave these old arrangements alone.

[NorthDakotaStBison1]

Too slow...ugh. Paul J would have pushed the tempo much harder. It hurts to listen to this.

[r4dice86]

Since there are a lot of choir nerds viewing/commenting here, check out the latest version of this done by the Nordic Choir at Luther, under the new conductor Allen Hightower. I know Dr. Clausen and a large group of Concordia Choir members got to hear it live in the Twin Cities, but I think musically it's even better now than it was then. You can't post links, but search for "our father luther college" and it should pop right up.

[sunshinecaram]

Nordic, Concordia, St.Olaf... all great. Differences, yes, but all singing for the same reason, right? Sacred music is not about a competition. This is a beautiful performance, and I'm still excited to take in on ole choir tour next year!

[S1NG1NGR3TARD5]

St. Olaf choir will be performing this piece with the massed alumni choir members for its centennial celebration. Such a beautiful piece.

[willwilkinsonIII]

@ckmiller66 The portamento is written in the score. The choir is supposed to slide to each note. It is intentional, not a technical glitch. :) I actually sang Tenor II in this choir. Loved every time we sang this piece!

[tyetyetye17]

@willwilkinsonIII Miss you.

[avalonarteste]

@tyetyetye17 x10000000 <3

[ckmiller66]

Lovely, just beautiful rendition of this piece! I'm sorry I didn't get to hear the choir in person but I was away from Hawaii at that time. @buscza: Yes, there were a couple of obvious scoops there....a small thing in the big picture. My adult chorus is working on this for our Summer series and we sure could use more lower basses.

[crashman10x]

Wow, this brings back memories. We sang this in high school back in 93-97. Such a good piece we did it all four years. I enjoyed that i think there were less than 10 notes on the bass staff for the 2/3rd basses, which i was one of the few that hit those low notes.

[buscza01]

seriously...no one is going to comment on the portamento at 3:22?

[ckmiller66]

@buscza01 Yeah, they scooped twice....just a technical glitch than can be corrected.

[iGookin]

Good singing.. but the performance was too.. in my face.. and harsh. It seems like the song meant to do exactly that, but it wasn't in the way I think the composer wanted it..

[limitlessaviator]

Luther College's Nordic Choir is one of the best collegiate choirs in America. Just sayin'.

[deverettlarson]

Quite honestly, there is no such thing as "the best choir" of any sort. There are, however, great performances and most of them are not captured by media in a way that does them any sort of justice at all. As a composer, I see a precision in his conducting that I would love for my pieces. Mr. Armstrong has such wonderful emotion in his arms, though.

[twojsmi]

1:00...It literally sounds like robots being wired.

[sparbj]

What, no props to the basses in this song? I know it's hard to hear them, but they sang the hell out of those notes. I'd like to hear a college group of men sound that good.

[AdNoctum007]

I'd like to shake the first tenor's hand that is belting to beat all hell, steady and above the rest at 3:27. Very impressive.

[AdNoctum007]

Amazing rendition of an amazing choir song by an amazing choir. Thank you guys so much for posting this. The Legacy Chorale of Greater Minnesota has this piece in the lineup for our fall concerts. Hope we sound as good as you guys did!

[Emigre35]

Quels beaux compliments !

Joyeux Noël, Merry X'mas from Brittany (french far-west)

Philippe

12/13/2009

[choralbliss]

The chord at 2:17 is equally as good as the entrance that follows it is bad.

[cobberalex]

A former Concordia Choir did sing the song in Russian, however Dr. Clausen prefers the song in english. As far as learning the Russian, the choir in this video also sang the 1st Movement in Alfred Schnittke's Choral Concerto. it is a 16 minute long movement sung completely in Russian. I sing in the Concordia Choir and think that St. Olaf and Concordia are both amazing in different ways. The have two different sounds. Not to mention we both came from the same family of conductors/founders.

[dasostudent46]

I'm not sure, but I think the original language of this piece is English. I know that the edition the choir used didn't even have the Russian in it.

[Badasscommy]

Great performance and sound, but I'm perplexed: Why do so many otherwise superb choirs perform Russian music in English? I know these guys rehearse a lot, so I don't see why they couldn't learn the Russian. It really loses some of its quality this way. (Sorry, I'm a purist, and Russian :P)

[CaptainBallsMagoo]

For all the St. Olaf vs Concordia people, just remember that, while both choirs are exceptional, Clausen is the superior conductor.

[Oaktownrob]

@CaptainBallsMagoo  Well, that's certainly a matter of opinion. I have heard some versions of this time honored St Olaf classic done with Dr Armstrong that were quite pristine in delivery. On this, I hear lots of shakiness in execution.

[lotuselisel]

@CaptainBallsMagoo I sang with Concordia of Portland for 3 years under Kurt Berensten, who I found to be exceptionally talented...

[reecty01]

@CaptainBallsMagoo Luther Nordic Choir. don't forget the best.

[MNCinephile]

@CaptainBallsMagoo Both St. Olaf and Concordia's Choirs are excellent and should not be viewed in competition. Dr. Clausen himself is a St. Olaf grad and sang in the St. Olaf Choir.

[NorthDakotaStBison1]

@MNCinephile g

Yeah...we didn't know that. I listened to a St. Olaf recording or two here on YouTube. The current conductor should be an insult to the legacy of the St. Olaf Choir. His conducting style is high schoolish. I have nothing but respect for the St. Olaf Choir...but wow...I couldn't believe it. Clausen is one or two small notches above him...and that's not saying much. He's more interested in how he looks than the actual sound being produced. Boring...zzzzzzzzzzzz

[ATLKapellmeister]

@CaptainBallsMagoo That's a matter of opinion. Both ARE Masters. I'm a Westminster Choir College grad and I have a high repect for BOTH!

[erinrae10]

@CaptainBallsMagoo mmmmm....not really.

[dougl164]

I would disagree. I think concordia's verison is more moving. Tempo changes is what emboding the music requires, just like a good poem or movie-- the speed and flow change. Concordia in my mind is the best choir in the state. Olaf is good, but not better. also interested that about 80% of the olaf choir are music majors, at concordia its more like 30%.... WOW. I go to the U of M but i love great choral music

[danielegreco1987]

the st. olaf choir is less than 50% music major. some years much less.

[twojsmi]

Nice sound. I think listening to the St. Olaf version is a little easier. It has a more fluid movement and warmer tone to it than that of Concordia. Dr. Armstrong just has that ability to completely embody the music without challenging the tempo--he just lets the music take over. St. Olaf is a stronger choir than Concordia, but both beautiful in different ways!

[moech01]

I would not exactly refer to Olaf as "stronger" than Concordia. Equal perhaps, different yes, stronger no. The Concordia Choir has always had the sheer power to blow other choirs out of the water. And I say that even though I didn't go there, I went to Luther.

[twojsmi]

I see what you mean. You are right in correcting my statement. Stronger was the wrong thing to say. I guess I meant St. Olaf was a more musically inclined choir--just meaning that I think they completely engulf themselves in the music, rather than just making loud noises. I don't know...kinda? You know what I mean. Ha. Sorry.

[NicTacks]

The over tones at 2:17 make me need to change my pants.

[twojsmi]

That is actually an echo! Overtones occur during sustained sound.

[GingerGroup]

Good job Rene! Thanks for the memories...your choir addicted friend from St. Olaf.

[dasostudent46]

Did you guys take this up a half step, or am I just losing my mind?

[Darthdotcom]

Its in E instead of E-flat, yes.

[choralbliss]

Majestic as this video may be, I would say that this is not the best performance Concordia has made of this song, perhaps due to the emotions riding high at home concert. Dr. C's tempo changes seem rather unpredictable.

[r4dice86]

This is very good. But Jamison, I wish the latest Nordic Choir recording was up on youtube for comparison cause it's reeeeeally good. Luther and Concordia are definitely the two top Lutheran choirs at the moment...not sure which is better.

[jamison850]

I'm sure St. Olaf would have something to say about that.

[r4dice86]

Yeah, they're right there, too. I've heard them, in their hall, and they're a very fine choir. Always have been. Luther and Concordia are just clicking right now.

[jamison850]

There is simply not a choir better than the Concordia College Choir and not a director better than Dr. Clausen.

[tiernan87]

mmmmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnnnn......­..they are amazing, no doubt. one of the best.buuuuuuuut. there's just SOMETHING about St. Olaf......i know, i know. them be fighting words. i'm biased though. dr. armstrong did my all-state my junior year of high school and he was a huge inspiration for me to go into choral conducting.

[jamison850]

I've worked with both at festivals and with Dr. Armstrong again at the Eric Whitacre Extravaganza, and he is truly remarkable. However, I just love that Concordia sound. But the St. Olaf Choir is a VERY close 2nd in my book.

[8benwsha]

@jamison850 This is the first time ive heard the concordia choir, and to be honest, they were very good, but not extraordinary. My high school choir of 30 members sang this song with almost as good tone quality and more emotion and better dynamics. The college that many of my friends went to (martin luther college) has two choirs that are superior to them

[8Choirboy]

@8benwsha this rendition of 'our father' by the cc is a bit different than other recordings they have done in the past. i too agree- this isn't my favorite, but one thing to take note is- this is being performed after a busy 2 week tour filled with lots of singing. coming from a current cord student who has come from a wels h.s and mlc music tradition, concordia is superior and renowned. many would agree this is 1 of the top undergrad choirs. mlc is good. i disagree to say they are better.

[jelio101]

@8benwsha this recording was done on a 8.0 megapixel camera. Jesus, I hope you realize this is not a good recording. But do not doubt for ONE SECOND that this by far better than any HS in the states. Im sorry but there is are no highschool choirs that ar this good. None. As far as mlc goes: MLC is good, definately at the same talent level and dedication. Dont think they are better. CC choir (in my opinion) is the best undergrad choir in the USA.

[prestonwellis]

@8benwsha If your high school is so much better than The Concordia Choir, did you guys record a CD with The King's Singers? Has your program won an Emmy for it's Christmas program. It's not about who is better or worse, it is the fact that a choir is a living, breathing entity, and the fact that Concordia is able to foster such fantastic artistry at a college that is about the size of most high schools is sometimes incomprehensible.

[8benwsha]

@prestonwellis I never meant to say that our choir was all together better than Concordia's. I only meant that I thought we performed this particular song better than this recording (it probably isn't the greatest recording and every choir has bad performances). I simply felt that it didn't have enough emotion and dynamics. And I guess that I find it incomprehensible that our high school of 200 students has been able to produce college-caliber choirs for 100 years, every year.

[dasostudent46]

AMAZING!!! I was planning on going to this concert, but the weather wouldn't let me. Do you have any more videos?