Chanticleer: Sound in Spirit Audio CD – Classical, September 13, 2005

Chanticleer is most definitely this, and much more. I admire them for always being willing to try something new and challenge listeners. This is one of the many things that gives them their premier status in the choral world. Certainly, this is not a disc for people who are looking for a non-challenging listen. But it still contains things that will delight such people, especially the magnificently sung Victoria motet. Jennings' Beata plainsong arrangement, Jackson Hill's "In Winter's Keeping", and Past Life Melodies should easily appeal to almost anyone, especially those who are into "new age" or minimalist music.There is remarkable variety on this recording. Anyone who is a fan of Chanticleer's adventuresome excursions, incredible flexibility of vocal techniques, and flawless singing will not be disappointed.

This is not your typical a capella work. Instead, lots of hollering, yelling, and strange percussion. It's not what I expected when I purchased it, and I would not have purchased it knowing the real contents. I don't speak to the quality of the work here, only that the style is extremely strange.

White spaces, silences, screams, dissonances, weirdness--this album is not worthy of Chanticleer. So much silence that you think your equipment is broken. One star only for including the de Victoria O Sacrum Convivium. Skip this one and hope for something more substantial from Chanticleer.

did not anticipate this strange assortment

I fell in love with Chanticleer after seeing them on PBS and ordered this CD several years ago. It was a little different than I expected, but much more interesting. If you are wanting traditional ballads or Western sacred music this is probably not the right Chanticleer album for you, but if you would like to hear the world in all its varied beauty, give it a shot. However, I must warn that though I could play the CD on a regular CD player just fine, when we tried to hear it in the car, there was no sound at all. We tried changing setting after setting on the radio/CDplayer/thingamajig but to no avail. There was just no sound. Every other CD played fine. I have no explanation for this but felt that it should be mentioned! Still, a must for all who are curious about other cultures and other music, about the sacred in all its forms and variations. If I were a teacher of geography, religion, music or anthropology, I would have to use it in my classroom!

You have never heard an album from Chanticleer like this before! This CD explores the power of chants and hyms to transport us to the spiritual world.The range, control, flexibility and power these singers possess is breath-taking.The advantage to this CD is that it has continuous tracks so their is no stoppage from one track to another which provides for a wonderful listening experience. The only reason I gave this 4 stars is because those of you who are new to Chanticleer might not be used to experiencial music but I encourage you to buy the album and listen to it over and over again. With each listening you will learn and discover new things you never heard a singer do before or even things you missed in the the previous sessions. This CD encourages you to explore with them the art of music and the power of the voice in chants. This is a great work and deserves your attention.

I really can't understand why this Chanticleer recording in particular should garner such a comparatively large amount of negative reactions. I suppose some people simply have an insurmountable aversion to non-western and/or non-traditional musical ideas. Still, other Chanticleer albums (Colors of Love and Lamentations and Praises both come to mind) have forayed as much or more than Sound in Spirit into such music, and reactions to those tended more towards the positive. If you tend to prefer genre-specific Chanticleer (e.g. gospel, Christmas, early music), then Sound in Spirit may not (I repeat, MAY not) be for you. If, however, you respond equally to a wide range of sounds and styles, or if you enjoy contemporary/adventurous compositions, I cannot recommend this album enough.Sound in Spirit is a richly evocative and endlessly rewarding musical journey, featuring compositions from diverse artists and genres. Some tracks include ambient outdoor recordings, percussion, or a guest vocalist or two. The liner notes indicate that this, more than any prior Chanticleer recording, is meant to be listened to all in one go, as a shimmering whole that transcends its disparate indvidual elements. Such cohesiveness in a musical release is a remarkable feat by any measure, but Chanticleer truly delivers. Buy it.

As a college trombonist, with decidedly 20th century leanings in my own personal tastes, I found this recording absolutely spellbinding. Weird? Yes! Outside the box? You bet. Awesome harmonic overtone singing? Yes! One of my duties as a musician is to "improv" on jazz solos - they do some of that on this recording as well. This disc has it all. I love ancient sacred music as well (Chanticleers Magnificat disc is excellent as well), but sometimes one tires of the (even though it is beautiful)monotony - the complete tonality and predictability of the works. Sometimes I want some interesting ideas to pop up unexpectedly, something that makes you go "Wow, how did they do that!" Sometimes I want some atonality, some asymmetrical rythmns in my choral singing. It gives the moments of tonality and common time their "glow" for lack of a better word. This disc delivers on all fronts, and is, of course, impeccably sung. In my opinion, Sound in Spirit has a good mix of traditional and non traditional music although it's not something you would put on as back ground music at a dinner or going to sleep. The music forces you to put down what you are doing, and devote your full attention. I definately recommend it.

What a great cd have listened to chanticleer before but was blown away by this recording.turn the volume up. best music of it's type and very atmospheric. Love it, very hard to get tired of it. Recommended. More of this joseph jennings and chanticleer.