Music: Children of Adam: I. Walt Whitman, "From Pent-Up Aching Rivers" 
Composer: Mason Bates
Artists: Richmond Symphony; Richmond Symphony Chorus; Steven Smith, Conductor; Erin R. Freeman, Chorus Director
Album: Bates: Children of Adam; Vaughan Williams: Dona nobis pacem (FR-732)
Label: FRESH! From Reference Recordings
Available August 16, 2019 
Order Now: https://referencerecordings.com/?p=14101

Groundbreaking New Music from Mason Bates and the Richmond Symphony!

Reference Recordings is proud to present a World Première recording of MASON BATES: Children of Adam, songs of creation—commissioned by the Richmond Symphony—coupled with RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Dona nobis pacem. These pieces both draw inspiration from Walt Whitman’s poetry and this release celebrates his bicentennial (born 1819). Children of Adam is a collection of exuberant celebrations of creation, from American poets to sacred and Native American texts. The title comes from a Whitman poem that appears throughout the work in the form of brief “fanfare intermezzos.” Whitman’s celebrations of sensuality, considered provocative at the time, explore the connection of the body and the soul. Between these choral fanfares, each movement of the work offers a different perspective on creation.

These works are brilliantly performed by the Richmond Symphony conducted by Steven Smith, and the Richmond Symphony Chorus, Erin R. Freeman, Director. Solo performers on the Vaughan Williams are Michelle Areyzaga, soprano, and Kevin Deas, bass-­baritone. Recorded live at the Carpenter Theatre, Dominion Energy Center, Richmond Virginia; engineered by Ed Thompson; and produced by Ed Thompson, Victor and Marina A. Ledin.

Bates: Children of Adam; Vaughan Williams: Dona nobis pacem

See The Album

Children of Adam: I. Walt Whitman, "From Pent-Up Aching Rivers"

We at RR believe that how a recording sounds is as important as the music itself. "Prof." Keith O. Johnson, our chief engineer and Technical Director, is a true audio legend, having designed and patented many innovative products in the professional and consumer fields. The RR Sound comes from his singular methods and equipment, hand-built or extensively modified by him. Microphone techniques range from single-point Blumlein to spaced omnis to complex studio mixes, depending on the musical forces and the performing space involved. Our goal is to recreate the sound of real musicians making music in real space.