Spirit Song

On this new recording, Canadian composer Harry Freedman presents the listener with a varied retrospective of his vocal works written over a forty-year period between 1953 and 1993. Ranging from the haunting vocalise for soprano with lute in Bright Angel to the moving tribute to a great composer in Epitaph for Igor Stravinsky for tenor and string quartet, Freedman provides vocal music lovers with a solid collection of his best works in the genre.

“The recorded sound is excellent, as is the cover art of a Chinese bamboo painting — by the composer no less! This must be considered an important release for anyone interested in Canadian music.”

– Joseph So, Opus

1. Spirit Song

2-3. Two Vocalises

4-6. Anerca

7. Epitaph for Igor Stravinsky

8. Toccata

9. Bright Angels

10-12. Trois Poèmes de Jacques Prévert

PERFORMERS:

Valdine Anderson, soprano; Penderecki String Quartet (Piotr Bucsek, violin/violon; Christine Vlajk, viola/alto; Paul Pulford, cello/violoncelle); Barbara Hannigan, soprano; Lori Freedman, clarinet/clarinette; Andrew Burashko, piano; Wendy Nielsen, soprano; Andrew Burashko, piano; Erica Goodman, harp/harpte; Trevor Tureski, vibraphone; Robin Engelman, condcutor/chef d’orchestre; Gorodn Gietz, tenor; Accordes String Quartet (Fujiko Imajishi, violin/violon, Marie Berdard, violin/violon; Douglas Perry, viola/alto; Davod Hetherington, cello/violoncelle; Barbara Hannigan, soprano; Diane Aitken, flute/flûte; Terry McKenna lute/luth; Wendy Nielsen, soprano.