From Sea to Sea (album)

From Sea to Sea
Studio album by Aaron Jensen
Released February 10, 2015 (2015-02-10)
Recorded 2007-2013
Genre A cappella, contemporary classical
Length 59:41
Label Centrediscs
Producer Aaron Jensen

From Sea to Sea is a studio album by Aaron Jensen, a Canadian composer, arranger, and vocalist known for winning the 2011 John Lennon Songwriting Contest.[1] The thirteen tracks include lyrics and words inspired by Canadian poets such as Robert Service and Christian Bök, with one track for each province/territory of Canada.[2] Originally performed in 2013 as a live song cycle, it was released in 2015 by Centrediscs on CD. From Sea to Sea was largely well received by critics. A reviewer for Anacrusis, The Journal of Choral Canada, wrote that the album "stands out by expanding the range of choral timbre, using electronic effects, and by writing in a truly wide variety of styles," also opining that "the performances by numerous Canadian choirs are excellent."[3]

Background and production

The thirteen choral pieces in From Sea to Sea were composed by Jensen starting in September 2008, under the project name "A Mari Usque Ad Mare," which is the Canadian national motto meaning “from sea to sea.”[4] While he wrote scores to allow the pieces to be performed live, Jensen also performed on recordings and engineered and produced a CD release.[5] Perry Bergson of the The Prince Albert Daily Herald wrote in January 2015 that "the idea initially came after he was approached by a community choir, who gave him carte blanche to compose something he liked. As a Canadian poetry buff, it led Jensen to the poetry anthologies on his bookshelf."[6]

Jensen selected a poem for each province or territory of Canada, with each poem written by a respective local.[4] Incorporating the poems, according to Jensen the song cycle and album is intended to "[pay] tribute to Canadian poets from every province and territory, commemorates the country’s many cultural and folk traditions, explore the versatility of the unaccompanied voice, and feature a range of musical genres."[5] With genres ranging from contemporary classical choral to folk melodies, among the poets whose work was included was Gwendolyn MacEwen, Robert Service, Christian Bök, Lorna Crozier, Sylvia Legris, Lucy Maud Montgomery, and Herménégilde Chiasson.[4] Jensen spent years obtaining rights from each poet or poet’s estate.[2]

Release

On May 12, 2013, Jensen premiered his project From Sea to Sea at the SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival. A song cycle of his original music was performed by the SING! Singers featuring Denzal Sinclaire, the Elmer Iseler Singers, the Elora Festival Singers, Cawthra Park Chamber Choir, and Countermeasure.[5] Jensen's recorded album version of From Sea to Sea[3] came out on the label Centrediscs in February 2015.[7] The CD included the original vocal and choral work he'd first premiered under the same name in 2013, and was distributed through NAXOS internationally.[7]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Journal of Choral Canada(positive)[3]

A reviewer for Anacrusis, The Journal of Choral Canada, wrote that the album "stands out by expanding the range of choral timbre, using electronic effects, and by writing in a truly wide variety of styles. The performances by numerous Canadian choirs are excellent.... I often wonder what the future of choral music is; this album answers that question, recognizing and honouring our choral traditions while boldly and successfully experimenting in contemporary music and the avant garde.”[3]

Dianne Wells of the TheWholeNote wrote that it was a "most interesting variety of styles within the one work," and that "in addition to expressing through the genres of folk, classical and jazz, he invokes overtones of Inuit throat singing ('Uvavnuk Dreams'), pointillist notation mirroring the Braille alphabet ('Poems in Braille'), bodhrán rhythms ('Rain in the Country'), as well as many more highly effective musical sketches and characterizations."[2]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Performer Length
1. "Sing me the songs I love, once more" (text by John Reade)Aaron JensenThe SING! Singers 4:50
2. "Eunoia" (text by Christian Bök)Aaron JensenCountermeasure 3:46
3. "Uncle Josh" (text by Samuel Cooper)Aaron JensenElmer Iseler Singers 3:08
4. "Uvavnuk Dreams/The Great Sea" (text by Unavnuk)Aaron JensenThe Elmer Iseler Singers and The SING! Singers feat. Scott Peterson 7:06
5. "Spell for Jealousy" (text by Jeni Couzyn)Aaron JensenThe Elmer Iseler Singers 3:51
6. "Remember Thee!" (text by George Frederick Cameron)Aaron JensenCawthra Park Chamber Choir 4:23
7. "Poems in Braille" (text by Gwendolyn MacEwan)Aaron JensenKAJAK Colective feat. Andrea Koziol 6:38
8. "Onions" (text by Lorna Crozier)Aaron JensenCountermeasure 5:34
9. "Beatitudes" (text by Herménégilde Chiasson)Aaron JensenCawthra Park Chamber Choir 4:59
10. "The Tramps" (text by Robert Service)Aaron JensenThe Canadian Men's Chorus 3:31
11. "Pulse" (text by Shane Koyczan)Aaron JensenThe SING! Singers feat. Denzal Sinclaire 3:56
12. "Rain in the Country" (text by Lucy Maude Montgomery)Aaron JensenElmer Iseler Singers 3:02
13. "Opera Somnia" (Sylvia Legris)Aaron JensenCountermeasure 4:32

Personnel

This list of songs or music-related items is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

References

  1. ↑ "Winners". International John Lennon Songwriting Competition. 2011. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  2. 1 2 3 Wells, Dianne (29 March 2015). "Aaron Jensen: From Sea to Sea – Vocal works featuring Canadian Poetry". TheWholeNote. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Album Review – From Sea to Sea". Anacrusis, The Journal of Choral Canada. Vol. 33 #3 Summer 2015. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  4. 1 2 3 "Aaron Jensen". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  5. 1 2 3 "Discography". aaronjensen.ca. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  6. ↑ Bergson, Perry (January 18, 2015). "P.A.-born composer takes poetic trip through Canada". The Prince Albert Daily Herald. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  7. 1 2 "Events". aaronjensen.ca. 2015. Retrieved 2015-08-03.

External links

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