CHORAL & ORGAN
AUDIOPHILE RECORDINGS

Complete RR Track Listing by Catalogue Number

CHORAL

TURTLE CREEK CHORALE
Timothy Seelig, conductor
This renowned 225-voice mens' chorus from Dallas is the most recorded male chorus in history. The Chorale was featured in the Emmy® Award-winning documentary "After Goodbye: An AIDS Story."
The Turtle Creek Chorale website

Purchase a complete
Turtle Creek Chorale 6 CD Set for $76.80
RR-49,57,61,67,86 and 110

EXCITING NEW RELEASE!
The Turtle Creek Chorale
SERENADE

The Turtle Creek Chorale, America's finest male chorus, has a long history with RR. Starting in 1992, they gave a spine-tingling performance of Randall Thompson's Testament of Freedom, and continued with four more critically-acclaimed CDs including one of RR's all-time best sellers, the Requiem by John Rutter.

The Chorale's long-time conductor, Dr. Timothy Seelig, recently announced his retirement, and expressed the wish that he could make one more recording with RR. The result is SERENADE, and Dr. Seelig says he could have no finer going-away present.

Included are selections by some of today's most popular living composers, such as Morten Lauridsen, John Rutter, Eric Whitacre and Stephen Paulus; and beloved classics by Schubert, Brahms and Caccini. A particular highlight is "Nella Fantasia" by Ennio Morricone, adapted from his film score The Mission. All are delivered with "loving kindness," passion and precision, many accompanied by an ensemble of strings and oboe.

The HDCD recording was made by "Prof." Keith Johnson in the superb, spacious acoustics of the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas, venue of all the critically-acclaimed Chorale recordings on RR, and many by the Dallas Wind Symphony. Musically and sonically, SERENADE is destined to become one of RR's most admired productions.

TRACK LIST (First five tracks are MP3 sound samples): 1 Eric HELMUTH: Everyone Sang; 2 Karl JENNINGS: Adiemus; 3 Stephen PAULUS: Loving-Kindness; 4 Morten LAURIDSEN: Dirait-on; 5 John RUTTER: Choral Fanfare; 6 Franz SCHUBERT: Serenade; 7 Leos Janácek : Láska Opravdivá; 8 Emile PALADIHLE: Psyché; 9 Johannes BRAHMS: Evening Serenade; 10 Giulio CACCINI: Dona Nobis Pacem; 11 Eric WHITACRE: Lux Arumque; 12 James G. EAKIN III: Creator of the Universe; 13 Morten LAURIDSEN: O Magnum Mysterium; 14 Ennio MORRICONE: Nella Fantasia; 15 Eric HELMUTH: How Sweet the Moonlight; 16 Ernest CHARLES: When I Have Sung My Songs to You.

REVIEW:
"Reference Recordings has a way of accurately capturing the gorgeous tone of this chorale, allowing the listener to hear the nuance of individual voices, a seemingly impossible task with such a large chorale. The soundstage will run down your walls." – Bill Brooks, Complete Review: soundstage.com

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PSALMS
"The Absolute Sound Super Disc List"
SING HALLELUJAH! The ancient wisdom of the Psalms has been inspiration for great composers for 3000 years. A unique program of world-premiere recordings is by living composers, many of whom have a long-standing relationship with the Turtle Creek Chorale. The world-renowned group performs with pipe organ, harp, brass and percussion ensemble in one of "Prof." Johnson's greatest sonic triumphs. Be prepared for goose-bumps!
RR-86 HDCD $16.98

THE TIMES OF DAY
The world premiere recording of Die Tageszeiten, a major work by Richard Strauss! Features the late Metropolitan Opera tenor Timothy Jenkins, and mezzo Melanie Sonnenberg in her recording debut. "...Almost transcendentally beautiful...when you listen to the disc, you will see the smiles of the singers as they share their music and their hearts with you." --The Audio Adventure
RR-67 HDCD $16.98

POSTCARDS
"The Absolute Sound Super Disc List"
The Fabulous Turtles take you on a world tour! Music from South Africa, Russia, China, Japan, Indonesia, Chile, France, Germany, Nigeria, Italy and the U.S. heartland, performed in the original languages and accompanied by indigenous instruments. "The Turtle Creek Chorale zeroes in on the heart of each work, and performs with sophistication and gusto...Highly recommended." --Fanfare
RR-61 HDCD $16.98

REVIEW: "One of the most beautiful recordings of choral music is found on the CD, POSTCARDS by The Turtle Creek Chorale. The selections include music from all over the world." --Wealth Management

RUTTER Requiem and Five Anthems
"The Absolute Sound Super Disc List"
Gorgeous music by today's most-performed choral composer, sung by 300 voices of the Chorale and the Women's Chorus of Dallas, with Fisk pipe organ, harp, cello, winds, tympani and percussion. Recorded in the fabled acoustics of the Meyerson Symphony Center. "...Immediately appealing music...sung here with great beauty and reverence...Beautiful, and beautifully recorded." --American Record Guide
RR-57 HDCD $16.98
REVIEWS

TESTAMENT
An inspiring collection of Americana, with texts by Thomas Jefferson, Walt Whitman and Robert Frost, including The Testament of Freedom by Randall Thompson. "The precision of the Turtle Creek Chorale is something to hear, and the Dallas Wind Symphony asserts its authority at every turn." --H&B Recordings Direct
RR-49 HDCD $16.98

1999 Grammy Nomination -- "BEST ENGINEERED, CLASSICAL"
1998 Golden Note Award -- "BEST ORIGINAL RECORDING"

JAMES PAUL and the ROYAL SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCHESTRA & CHORUS
Lorna Haywood, soprano, Terry Patrick-Harris, alto,
Joseph Harris, tenor, Jozik Koc, bass.

PAUL PARAY: Joan of Arc Mass / Symphony No. 1 (CD Premiere)
Paul Paray was best-known as the long-time Music Director of the Detroit Symphony, but he was also a multiple-prize-winning composer. Conductor James Paul and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Chorus, with an international roster of star soloists, have brought a renewed vigor to these neglected masterpieces.
"An imaginative and inspired work." --Chicago Sun-Times
RR-78 HDCD $16.98
< a href="review2.asp#RR78REVIEW" >REVIEWS

SAN FRANCISCO CHORAL ARTISTS

STAR OF WONDER
Festive music for the holiday season performed by an outstanding mixed chorus with pipe organ, harp, flute and bellringers! Recorded in the glorious cathedral acoustics of Saint Ignatius Church, San Francisco. "...Magical...the sound is impressively transparent." --Fanfare
RR-21 CD SPECIAL PRICE $12.98

ORGAN

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ORGAN ODYSSEY
Mary Preston

An Adventurous Musical Journey!
MARY PRESTON, soloist with the Dallas Wind Symphony on RR’s recent smash audiophile hit CROWN IMPERIAL, shows on ORGAN ODYSSEY that she doesn’t need help to demonstrate the capabilities of themighty Fisk instrument in the Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas.

Designed with unusual power to support a full symphony orchestra, the Fisk Op. 100 is renowned as one of the finest and most thrilling concert organs on the planet.

Mary Preston is one of the most in-demand organists in the world. She is the Resident Organist and Principal/Lay Family Chair with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Curator of the Lay Family Concert Organ – so she knows its colors, range and possibilities better than anyone.

For her first solo recital on RR, she has chosen a wide variety of music – popular favorites, organ “spectaculars,” and off-the-beaten-path items to stretch the ears. In the former category are two selections by the French master WIDOR, including the evergreen Fifth Symphony Toccata in an especially brisk, bracing performance. American eccentric Charles IVES contributes irreverent Variations on “America,” which are sure to bring a smile to the face. MENDELSSOHN’s substantial First Sonata and a stately chorale-prelude by KARG-ELERT will satisfy organ mavens, while water-nymphs depicted by VIERNE and an evening reverie by LA MONTAINE provide welcome contrast. A highlight of the program is a powerful work by MESSIAEN to test the dynamic capabilities of any high-end sound system.

All these sonic riches were captured in three-dimensional, high-resolution HDCD sound by RR’s resident guru, “Prof.” Keith Johnson, who has just received his seventh GRAMMY nomination for Best Engineering, Classical (RR-108: GARDEN OF DREAMS with the Dallas Wind Symphony).

REVIEW: "The sound of this organ is skillfully captured, from its highest flute stops down to its 32-foot Tuba Profunda pipes." --John Sunier, Audiophile Audition -- complete review

Track Listing - 1 Sigfrid Karg-Elert: “Now Thank We All Our God"; 2 Louis Vierne: Naïades; 3-6 Felix Mendelssohn: Sonata No. 1 in F; 7 Charles-Marie Widor: Gothic Symphony—Andante sostenuto; 8 Charles Ives: Variations on “America”; 9 Olivier Messiaen: Dieu Parmi Nous; 10 John La Montaine: Even Song; 11 Charles-Marie Widor: Symphony No. 5—Toccata

2/19/2008: NOW AVAILABLE
RR-113 HDCD - ORGAN ODYSSEY - Mary Preston - $16.98

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LIVE in San Francisco - 1976 - VIRGIL FOX

THE BACH GAMUT
It was serendipity, indeed. In September, 1976, America's most renowned organist, Virgil Fox, was to play a series of concerts at St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco. RR's own 'Prof.' Keith Johnson was invited to record everything, and he did, using his legendary hand-built three-channel analogue tape machine. Now, after years of complex negotiations, RR is releasing highlights from these concerts, featuring the mighty music of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Virgil Fox was always controversial. Like Vladimir Horowitz, Fox always gave highly personal interpretations of everything he played, and purists frequently railed at the liberties he took. But unlike many musicians found on organ benches, Fox was never dull. Invariably, he made one hear the music in a new way, and audiences roared their approval as you’ll hear at these live performances.
RR-107 - $16.98

Ted Alan Worth, a respected organist and producer of "The Bach Gamut" concerts, had this to say: "The audience was composed of people from every age, class, musical taste, and lifestyle; but hordes of young people, whom Virgil had captured as his fans from 'Heavy Organ' concerts, dominated. The whole audience sat silent and attentive, transfixed by Virgil's dynamic approach to the transcendent counterpoint of Sebastian Bach. These concerts were tours de force, and I marveled at Virgil's stamina and prodigious technique and memory! as he tossed off one after another of the monumental preludes, toccatas, fantasies and fugues with ease, permeating them all with pure joy. The audience erupted with spontaneous praise after each of the mighty blockbusters." -from Virgil Fox (The Dish) by Richard Torrence and Marshall Yaeger.

Now, these memorable performances can be heard by today’s music lovers. ’Prof.’ Keith Johnson has lovingly restored and remixed the original three-channel analogue masters and transferred them with HDCD technology to compact disc. Although the age of the tapes and the circumstances of the live performances make the sonics unlike RR’s current work, the importance of these historic Fox performances weighed heavily in our decision to release them.

TRACK LISTINGS: Johann Sebastian Bach: 1–2 Fantasy and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542; 3 Fugue Reprise; 4 Sheep May Safely Graze, BWV 208; 5–7 Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C, BWV 564; 8 St. Matthew Passion – Finale, BWV 244; 9–10 Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543; 11 Air on a G String, BWV 1068; 12–13 Prelude and Fugue in D, BWV 532; 14 I Call to Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, BWV 639.

mp3 Sound Sample: 1: Fantasy and Fugue in G Minor.

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ORGAN SENSATION
FELIX HELL

Prof. Johnson brilliantly captures the spectacular sounds of the massive Schoenstein Organ of First-Plymouth Congregational Church, Lincoln Nebraska. Felix Hell is one of the most exciting and remarkable organists on today's concert scene. His virtuosity and dazzling technique, and his profound understanding of the music is all the more remarkable in a musician just 17 years of age! He is gaining an international reputation as an up-and-coming superstar of the King of Instruments, and his gifts are fully on display in this recording of some of the greatest of the organ masterworks by Liszt (the great Fantasy and Fugue on Ad Nos ad Salutarem Undam, and the Prelude and Fugue on B.A.C.H.), Guilmant (Sonata No. 1), Vierne (Finale from Symphony No. 1) and Rheinberger ("Evening Peace").

"Felix Hell is billed as an 'organ sensation,' and he is all of that...(this CD) is awesome to listen to." -- Rejskind, UHF Magazine 5/06

'The newest CD from Felix Hell is a sonic blockbuster that may become a contender for status as one of the best organ recordings ever. . . For those who have been reading about Felix but have not heard him in concert, especially on a large instrument, THIS is the CD to purchase. . . Turn down the lights, crank up the volume and revel in it!" --Rich Blacklock, PIPORG-L

More Reviews

Track listing: 1– 3 GUILMANT: Sonata No. 1 in D minor 24:41; 1–Introduction and Allegro 8:52; 2–Pastorale 8:23; 3–Final 7:25; 4–RHEINBERGER: Abendfriede 4:08 ;5–VIERNE: Symphony No. 1 – Final 5:40; 6–7 LISZT: Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H 12:17; 6 –Prelude 4:05; 7–Fugue 8:11; 8–17 LISZT: Fantasy and Fugue on ÒAd nos, ad salutarem undamÓ 28:24; 8– Moderato; 9– Marziale; 10–Recitativo; 11–Adagio; 12–Andante 13–Un poco piu di moto; 14–Adagio; 15–Allegro; 16–Fugue; 17–Vivace.

Sound Samples / Downloads - HDTracks.com

RR-101 HDCD $16.98

JOHN BALKA plays the great organ at
ST. MARY’S CATHEDRAL, San Francisco

Ever since Pomp & Pipes!, we’ve had many requests for MORE ORGAN MUSIC! In 1988, “Prof.” Keith Johnson recorded this CD to be sold only at St. Mary’s Cathedral. RR has obtained rights to issue it in a newly-remastered edition with superior graphics and entirely new music notes. Hear some of the most spectacular organ music ever written, brilliantly played on a huge Ruffatti instrument in a superb acoustical environment: works by Jeremiah Clarke, Johann Walther, Claude Balbastre, Julius Reubke, Charles Marie Widor and many more - including the “Carillon” by Louis Vierne, which was not on the original release!
RR-98 HDCD - $16.98