Gentle Words
The Tudor Choir, Doug Fullington, director
Loft Recordings (LRCD 1041)

It’s nice to see that some of America’s early music has caught the attention of recording labels lately. This new recording by the excellent but little-known Tudor Choir is a stunning addition to the repertoire and a midyear candidate for my 2001 Want List.

This recording triumphs on every level. Doug Fullington’s Tudor Choir boasts a lush tonal quality that produces results reminiscent of what the Tallis Scholars achieved in Renaissance polyphony. In addition to the unison pieces, Gentle Words benefits from the marvelous arrangements of Kevin Siegfried (some of which are now published by Earthsongs). The Tudor Choir offers a polished view of the music where every note is perfectly sounded and every phrase is lovingly shaped. Siegfried’s excellent liner notes point out that his goal in arranging the songs was “to make them accessible and useful in modern worship and concert settings, I have attempted to maintain the simplicity and directness of the original, unison melodies, with an emphasis on unison singing and antiphonal performance.” Siegfried has succeeded, and I think the quality of the arrangements, performances, and packaging make this a recording that breaks out of the specialist market. Gentle Words features 28 Shaker songs from communities that were based in six different states. One of the oldest songs is In Yonder Valley, attributed to Father James Whittaker, one of the original Shakers who traveled to America with Mother Ann Lee. The song’s joyous text is typical of the idealistic spirit that moved the Shakers in their early days in America. O Lord Make Me Pure is a good example of Shaker visionary repertoire, songs that were received as “gifts” from above. The song moves from English to “spirit language,” a fairly common occurrence in this repertoire. The choir shows off some of its fine soloists in Heavenly Display, a song “given by inspiration.” Siegfried’s arrangement is superb, with thrilling exchanges between soloists and full choir.

Even better is Lay me low, a song by Sister Addah Z. Potter of the New Lebanon, New York, Shaker community. The song is arranged for eight-part choir with a solo voice in the choral texture that’s “laid low” and sings a drone on a single note—it’s a thrilling effect. The choir impresses with its ability to get to the very essence of each song, whether the mood is ecstatic or contemplative. This is a choir that is thinking about the words being sung, and their performances are wonderfully honest and unaffected. I want to hear much more from them in the future.

Gentle Words is another treasure by Loft Recordings, an excellent little independent label based in Seattle that specializes in organ music. If you care about American music or the art of sublime choral singing, I implore you to buy this recording.

— Craig Zeichner, Fanfare Magazine, September/October, 2001