Stephen Alltop, Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra - Stacy Garrop: Terra Nostra (2024) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Terra Nostra, Pt. 1: No. 1, In the Beginning
02. Terra Nostra, Pt. 1: No. 2, God's World
03. Terra Nostra, Pt. 1: No. 3, On Thine Own Child
04. Terra Nostra, Pt. 1: No. 4, Smile O Voluptuous Cool-Breathed Earth!
05. Terra Nostra, Pt. 1: No. 5, A Blade of Grass
06. Terra Nostra, Pt. 2: No. 6, Locksley Hall
07. Terra Nostra, Pt. 2: No. 7, Railways 1846
08. Terra Nostra, Pt. 2: No. 8, A Song of Speed
09. Terra Nostra, Pt. 2: No. 9, High Flight
10. Terra Nostra, Pt. 2: No. 10, Binsey Poplars
11. Terra Nostra, Pt. 2: No. 11, A Dirge
12. Terra Nostra, Pt. 3: No. 12, Darkness
13. Terra Nostra, Pt. 3: No. 13, Earth Screaming
14. Terra Nostra, Pt. 3: No. 14, The World Is Too Much with Us
15. Terra Nostra, Pt. 3: No. 15, The Want of Peace
16. Terra Nostra, Pt. 3: No. 16, A Child Said, What Is the Grass?
17. Terra Nostra, Pt. 3: No. 17, There Was a Child Went Forth Every Day
18. Terra Nostra, Pt. 3: No. 18, A Blade of Grass – I Bequeath Myself

In celebration of Earth Day, Cedille Records releases the world premiere recording of Stacy Garrop’s monumental oratorio Terra Nostra, “a spellbinding dive into the history of the planet” (Chicago Classical Review). Terra Nostra explores the relationship between humanity and Earth, and how humankind can re-establish a harmonious balance. Stacy Garrop’s music is characterized by its lyricism and vivid storytelling. She has been described by the Chicago Tribune as “one of Chicago’s most keenly sensitive composers” and praised by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review for music that “excites the enthusiasm of performers and audiences alike,” while the Detroit Free Press remarks, “she has “a sharp ear for instrumental color and narrative form: She can tell a story.” Declared an “oratorio that embraces the whole world” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Garrop’s tour de force is an interconnected musical narrative presented in three parts: Creation of the World, The Rise of Humanity, and Searching for Balance. The multifarious text weaves together creation myths from India, North America, and Egypt, excerpts from the Bible’s Old Testament, classic poetry from Walt Whitman, Lord Byron, Lord Alfred Tennyson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and contemporary writings by Esther Iverem and Wendell Berry, among others.

Terra Nostra is performed by soloists soprano Michelle Areyzaga, mezzo-soprano Leah Dexter, tenor Jesse Donner, and bass-baritone David Govertsen, the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra & Chorale, Alice Millar Chapel Choir, and Chicago’s Uniting Voices, all led by acclaimed conductor Stephen Alltop. Terra Nostra is Cedille’s 13th recording featuring Garrop’s music. The album is produced and engineered by the Grammy-winning team of James Ginsburg and Bill Maylone. It was recorded February 6 & 8, 2023 at the Pick-Staiger Concert Hall in Evanston, IL.

Terra Nostra is made possible by the generous support of Jim Stone and The Jerome H. Stone Family Foundation, Theodore N. Foss and Kent S. Dymak, and the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Fund for Vocal Recordings at Cedille Records.

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