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From: Universalphenomenon
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  • This is my favorite song. Ever.

  • Borah high is learning this and I believe Eric Whitacre is a genius of our time.

  • my band director told me that we wont know til a hundred years from now if Eric Whitacre is a legend, but something tells me he will be

  • Now that's my kind of chord!! 0:13

  • 4:33 and to the end, is one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard!

  • 3 poeple missed the "like" button :)

  • 3 people are deaf.

  • @pghica no one cares. honestly. shutup and enjoy the music.

  • when I listen to Eric's compostions I feel closer to God.

  • Wow....

  • i am fourteen years old and i am balling. this is extremely beautiful music that i cannot stop listening to.

  • god, tears came to my eyes.

  • This is not polyphony. I have their recording playing in my right ear from the CD, and I'm listening to this recording simultaneously. Way different. Also, polyphony is by far superior to this group. The lower voices in this one are much weaker.

  • 3 people disliked this? 3 people have no souls.

  • I love how I looked up "dissonant choir" on YouTube and this was the first result. Eric Whitacre, you are always infusing the world with your beauty and brilliance.

  • oh mankind, what have u done?

  • can i pretty please get the sheet music for this piece?

    

  • This is probably one of the hardest song i had to sing in choir with the crescendo and the al niente.

  • i almost cried at the first entrance

  • this is polyphony listen to their vowels

  • @crazyjm1

    Polyphony has nothing to do with vowels. It has to do with intertwining melodies. But yes, this is polyphonic.

  • @crazyjm1

    I thought you meant the actual musical term. I was gonna correct you. :3c

  • The only complaint I have about this is that, during the climax, I wish the sopranos would have went up to fa instead of staying on mi. It would have been like POW and given me a seizure from the chills! I know they did eventually, but only for, like, 2 seconds, and it was a different chord anyway, so yeah. But, other than that, this is the best choral performance I've ever heard! Beautiful! I love all the dissonances.

  • @kablay1 well the soprano 1 goes up to an a and the second soprano goes to a g and creats the dissonance. What part do you mean? i can't really hear anything strange

  • @materialgrl47 At the part when they're singing "surrender unto sleep" and the Soprano goes up to the G, I wish they would have gone up to A flat, but still stayed in that chord and didn't change to a different key like they do later when they go to the a flat. At the part starting at 3:42, I wanted it to be like this: "Un" that's on the G "-to" that's on the G "sleep" that goes up to the A flat. THAT would have been awesome.

  • @kablay1 Sorry, disagree completely. Whitacre, like many composers before him, repeats this phrase segment twice before finally letting it blossom the third time (incidentally, hitting your Ab). Had he hit that Ab the first time around, it would have seriously cheapened the third iteration, and the climax as a whole.

    In other words, while you may want instant gratification, Eric makes you wait for it. ;-)

  • @pghica I don't want instant gratification, and I like the waiting. What I wanted to happen is for the chord with the Ab not to change keys, because that's what happened when it was finally hit. The high G's before that were Mi in that key's scale (Eb major), and I wanted the Ab to be Fa of that scale when it was hit. But, instead, it became Do of the new scale when it was finally hit. Mi brings almost no tension, and it changed keys, so it wasn't much of a blossom in my opinion.

  • I personally believe the tempo is a little slow but still it projects the beauty of the piece greatly

  • @PokerPunk64 this is eric whitacre conducting it. so no the tempo is not too slow.

  • @deadly990 I really don't care look at the vocal essence and the tempo is sped up i will believe the one that shows Whitacre not some random person who says this is Whitacre Conducting

  • @PokerPunk64: the group performing in this video is the BYU Singers conducted by Dr. Ron Staheli.

  • @rippinsteo It's actually the group Polyphony that recorded the entire Cloudburst CD, and this is straight from the CD.

  • @IncedoVir : It is true that Polyphony recorded the Cloudburst CD, but the performance in this video is by the BYU Singers. YouTube user GpD79 posted a video with the performance of Sleep by Polyphony on the Cloudburst CD.

  • @PokerPunk64 i apologize i thought that the case said that eric whitacre had conducted him but i was misinformed (i have the cd with case) its actually who rippinsteo said it was Ronald Staheli conducting.

  • This is pretty much the perfect tempo for it. PERFECT.

  • such amazing sounds!

  • We're singing this for my College Choir, and being Bass 1, I must say: this is the best piece I've sung ever.

  • As I surrender unto sleep.. absolutely amazing. I've always been a fan of Whitacre, And never have been let down thus far.  Each and every one of his songs are designed to bring out the best in the performers. Love it.

  • i like how you can hear at least 3 overtones on each chord. its amazing

  • This is BEAUTIFUL! I remember singing this in High School for competion. I once sung this song as a lullabye to my baby cousin and she fell asleep so calmly. Brings back great memories. I miss singing in Choir... Thanks for posting this. I love it

  • @dellumn Polyphony, the group, has some of the most famous Eric Whitacre recordings.

  • @MrPoog : For clarification, the group performing in this video is the BYU Singers. But you are correct that Polyphony, the group, has performed quite a bit of Whitacre.

  • beautiful

  • I've heard some good composers. James Newton Howard, Hans Zimmer and the like but I doubt they could create such an arrangement. It takes a certain type of talent.

  • I listened to this last night and cried so hard. I had to re-listen when I woke up this morning...

  • i think this is one of the worst recording ive heard of this beautiful song.... the choir sounds too machanical and states everything like blocks!!!!

    Sorry Eric that some of your music is not done justice to...

  • We sang this song in high school. It is one of my favorite songs to sing. love it!

  • This song haunts me and soothes me; gives me the chills and melts me... ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Seriously, Eric is by far the best living composer.

  • We're playing this in band, we're gonna be the choirs accompaniment and I love this song! So pretty...

  • I LOVE ERIC WHITACRE!!

  • this man has just won at music. congratulations eric.

  • Just amazing. Thats why i really love music. Thank you all. Alejaimevideos

  • very good song! :D

  • lol never listen to this song 5 in the morning when you have no sleep its does weird things man

  • Es ist wunderbar! Gänsehaut pur!! Danke für diese wunderbare Aufnahme! Thank you for that!!!

  • chordgasms!!!

  • @markh2012 CHORDGASMS! I had the same reaction! :D

  • i love this song but it makes my heart ache so much

  • Just beautiful. How music was meant to be-uplifting and inspiring. Thanks.

  • I like it slower in general, but I think some lines need to have more movement.

  • I played this in band class and a month later I got to hear it sung by the varsity choir at school. It was the first song that I heard that made me love Eric Whitacre. I then got to sing A Boy and A Girl and I got to play October as well as listen to several other wonderful pieces.

  • This song is so much better sung with straight tone. I'm so tired of hearing choirs throw vibrato in there.

  • @ZachKing88 Exactly. The dissonance doesn't ring when you are using vibrato. Stupid diva singers.

  • I think the tempo slower is best for this song the issue is that how we can bring to the climax musically, However, it needs technique. The choir cant make it then they need to sing faster to avoid show weakness. The most of choir singers can not control the vibrato and beautiful sustain. The tempo is the conductor's decision anyway and it is their understanding of the music. So i think it's fine fast and slow both. I am glad Eric wrote such a nice song and so many people enjoy with this.

  • Flippin' awse'!

  • Heard this on Classic FM today. What a brilliant change between the disturbing dissonaces and the thick all enveloping chordal passages.

  • Yeah.. this isn't polyphony. In the recording I have from Cloudburst + other choral works, there's a pretty grandiose retardando at the climax which is really characteristic of that recording. It's a good recording, but mislabeled.

  • An absolute modern masterpiece. Gives me chills every time I hear it. Agreed with RenosOlive433, the dissonance is so good.

  • My choir is singing this song. It's very difficult. Us first sopranos have to sing our souls out at the climax of the song.

  • It's not difficult. It kinda is for baritones because our range is almost 2 octaves in this. (low E flat to high D)

  • @VanSensei

    i am a baritone and i could kick ass on everything but the sustained c

  • This is a BYU recording, been playing it for a while now... I love it better coz it's much slower ^_^

  • thisisthedeadgirl: this is definitely the BYU Singers. 

    There is another video of this song posted by user GpD79 which is performed by Polyphony.

    Both recordings are superior performances. :-)

  • Amazing.

  • I love this song an I like to hear the many diffrent ways its sung...

  • beautiful

  • The chords give me chills.

  • I'm so in love with this song

  • Very beautiful. Thank you for posting!

  • Polyphony is not apart of BYU. BYU Singers does a lot of Whitacre, like the University of Utah Singers (I go to The U of U and Im a music major there.) Last year, BYU did like 5 E.W. songs and Eric Whitacre came and they recorded with him and stuff like that

  • fantastic!!

  • im pretty sure eric whitacre directed this recording so this is how he wanted it to sound.

  • Amazing song. I love the dissonance. Its like, the perfect amount of tension. I love this song. Amazingly sung and written. :)

  • no matter what any critic would say about eric being like the backstreet boys or anyother one hit wonders, all have to admit that what he creates is timeless and ppl will be singing his music for quite sometime....you must not be a musician for making that comment!.....and have no appreciation...prolly just jealous...if you cant make music that puts eric whitacre to shame then you have no room to talk!

    NUFF SAID

  • one of the best of Eric Whitacre's works. I love this song!!!!

  • this song is one amazing piece! I DONT SEE WHY ALL THESE KNIT PICKERS GO AROUND TALKING ABOUT WHAT SOMEONE "SHOULDVE DONE" in a piece like this, cant you just enjoy the music? if you have such a big opinion of it then go to college earn a degree then your opinion will be worht something! JUST ENJOY THE MUSIC

  • And this is exactly why your not a musician.

  • i dont think this is too slow.

  • I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!

  • I don't think it's too slow. I did this in high school for a state festival, and did a decent job, but the conductor felt the need to have every little phrase to start fast and rit. to its end. It's normal romantic practice, but when we worked with the judge he said it was too fast. He explained that the text called for an unhurried, "suspended" feel. I tend to agree with that opinion.

    Oh, and the basses in Polyphony are a little growly/strident for my taste.

  • too slow...and this isn't polyphony...

  • yep, i agree.....not the cd version.

  • P.S. 4:12 is AMAZING.

  • This is BYU singers

    Polyphony has a stronger bass section

  • you mean closer to the mic;-)

  • lol

    well i think BYU singers have more a floaty sound and polyphony is just a little strident?

  • sorry, I may sound like a noob asking this, but what is BYU and polyphony?? is it like group of choral singers??

  • yeah, they're like both really good, but people, i think, enerally like polyphony more. i do. hm.

  • Polyphony is good and props to them for amazing performances, but, as performed here in this vid on this piece, I think BYU Singers has a richer, more refined blend and tone.

  • I think if you heard their version of water night, you might change your mind.

  • BYU is Brigham Young University, in Utah, and i don't know if polyphony is part of a university, or if it's just a separate group

  • No, not a stronger bass section:

    A FREAKIN' AWESOME bass section!

    OMFG!

  • my point exactly.

  • this is NOT Polyphony.

    do some research!

  • This is the BYU Singers.

  • I don't believe this is the Polyphony group singing....however, whombever it is they are still very good

  • we got to listen to this stuff in choir class and now i cant stop listening to it.

  • the ending is amazingg as it fades out annd if you listen to the lyrics it gives the way it sounds even greater.

  • What's also amazing is Eric Whitacre is expected to come to my high school next year. Can't wait!

    =' )

  • I can't believe these are all boys singing. Phenomenal and very beautiful piece.

  • no way! there must be a few girls in there somewhere.

  • My music teacher has met him before and has listened to all his music. Eric Whitacre also told him that the entire chorus is only boys.

    Unbelievable? Believe it.

  • He does in some of his own choirs, but this is BYU singers, which is a mixed ensemble.

  • Thanks for the information. I really appreciate it =]

  • This is such an amazing piece of music...Eric Whitacre is brilliant...

  • excellent

  • This defo isnt Polyphony, the lower parts are much stronger...

  • this isn't polyphony singing. The vowels are north american. I sang on the polyphony recording.

  • north american vowels have nothing to do with polyphony. if you really sang in the 'polyphonic recording', then you should know that.

  • Feel free to google me if you don't believe me! My name is Emma Preston-Dunlop. Like i said, if you read my comment properly, there are north american vowels on this recording. Polyphony are a british group. Ergo, this recording is not polyphony singing....

  • I meant the actual musical term, not the group. Based on the definition of the word 'polyphony', then, yes, this song is polyphonic. Sorry if we got mixed up.

  • actually this is polyphony ...

    1. that is the name of the group

    2. it is mostly homophonic, but there is some polyphonic parts

  • this song is awsome

    im playing it for my school band

  • hi:) can u upload the Ave Maria by Morten Lauridsen ?

  • This is NOT Polyphony

  • this song is amazing..sooooo beautiful and peaceful

  • yes i must agree the dissonance in this piece is quite chilling, such an amazing piece, how the human voice can become a beautiful symphony

  • i hope one day i can say this to Mr. Whitacre

    "Congratulations!

    You've just officially owned life"

  • Comment removed

  • This is the kind of music that grabs hold of your heart and takes it soaring into another world. wow beautiful!

  • my choir teacher got a copy of his CD after doing Sleep at Carnegie Hall and it was autographed, he was there when we did it. Amazing.

  • the dissonance is amazing in this song! it gives me chills!

  • Why are there so many issues about the tempo? The slower the tempo, the more you hear the chords and the dissonance! I completely disagree with those who think the tempo should be faster.

  • @ketcherside

    I agree with you. I mean the song is called sleep, of course the tempo will be slow, it adds to songs meaning. It reminds me of how when your in that state between sleep and awake and your thoughts become slow, like syrup, and everything echoes brilliantly. Just like this song

  • This is a lot slower than I'm used to hearing it, but the song is beautiful at any tempo.

  • whys this thing only get - points. i really like this song and i know what goes into it for the performers seeing as i'm learning this song for choir.

  • Stunning piece!

  • YESSSSSSSSSSSS. The choir I'm in did this last year and we're gonna sing it again this year!

    :D

  • this song makes me cry, it is beyond beautiful!

  • simply beautiful, utterly divine

  • Absolutely gorgeous, I think this a great tempo for it as well; not too fast or slow. Very blended, you hear the song, not the parts. I'll never forget singing this piece, most touching moment I ever felt in choir.

  • this is not polyphony. but still good. if you like this see "the dream" by jack barton and david bashford

  • Um, "The Dream" is so dumb. It has no correlation or similarity to this song or even kind of music. It's a compilation of pop songs w/ two guys acting it out. It's kind of goofy if you ask me.

  • is this BYU?

  • Dissonant and complex. Tension and release for days. Color tones, the likes of which no one has had the balls to incorporate. He hits the emotional buttons that we all like, but he keeps from the cliches. Yes, he breaks the rules, and he's made a million breaking them.

  • yeah i agree. at 1:00, our entire choir gets chills when the balance is right. the same thing happened with lux arumque when we sang that last year. I wonder what goes through whitacre's head when he writes this stuff???

  • we are playing it in my band its simply amazing

  • Whitacre is absolutely amazing. I get a little bit of humor out of his work simply because it breaks so many musical "rules." I mean, who resolves a song with a minor second? haha. Also, his reversed iversions of chords that I cant even dream of are incredible. We are singing this song in my high school choir this year and I am SUPER excited! :) my favorite composer

  • yeah I did this song with my choir for our choral concert and we got a standing ovation and this wasnt our last song... if you do it right... you will get chiils just singing it... and the decresendo on the last sleep before the last section... some on the best voice leading EVER thank you God for whitacre.

  • we sung this song last year in our last concert eric whitacre is an amazing composer

  • this song is INCREDIBLE! roxbury's wind symphony is playing seal lullaby at mid-west clinic.... WORLD PREMIER cant wait

  • We're singing this in choir in a few weeks as practice for a competition in Chicago. It's absolutely amazing to sing as a choir member!

  • In my opinion Polyphony's recording is superior...Great interpretation, and while this recording here has great part separation, Polyphony's intonation and part separation is out of this world good. Check it out!

  • This is polyphony's recording.

  • I'm quite sure it isn't. I own the recording, and then tempi are completely different from this one on here.

  • I'm quite sure it is. This is Polyphony.

  • then why is this so different from the polyphony recording?

  • This definitely isn't Polyphony; listen to the way they sing 'hangs'. Definitely not the english way of saying it!

  • thank you!! at least someone notices how different just about everything about this recording is from polyphony's. lol. different vowels, different recording style, and different tempi...like i said, different everything. lol

  • I agree. It is definitely not Polyphony. Polyphony is far superior. The intonation is spectacular and the overtones are awe inspiring. This is BYU I'm pretty sure. It is much slower and the intonation isn't always great. I'm tempted to upload the Polyphony recording.

  • Do it! Please! :)

  • I already did :-) Look up at the video responses.

  • I disagree.

  • What are you disagreeing about? That this recording is indeed Polyphony and not BYU, that you think BYU is better than Polyphony's recording, or that I posted a video response.

    If you think BYU's recording is better that Polyphony's, that's cool. It's totally subjective and we're all entitled to our own opinion. Not that BYU doesn't have an amazing recording, because they do. I just happen to like Polyphony's better. So what are your thoughts?

  • Yes, to which recording is better.

  • My concert band did Whitacre's work "Godzilla Eats Las Vegas." I thought he was an amazing band composer, but the first time I heard this, I wept. It's such a beautiful piece of work.

  • Vocal part separation in this recording is probably the greatest you will hear. Their chording is excellent, and their mix is also. I just prefer the original words, set to Robert Frost's "Stopping By Woods".

  • Wow, just found this quality recording. Cool aspects that I like - the slower tempo at the right places... But I'd enjoy more accel. on "1000 pictures", "cannot sleep", "flying wings" etc.

    I think I've heard others sing the key chords more impressively. (Check out v=oRM0YIxoRjU, live performance with errors, but what a performance!) OTOH, "bed" is plain excellent here :) which most other choirs I've heard overclash.

    Is there really a recording with the Frost's lyrics? I thought there isn't