Tree of Life: Sacred Music of Mack Wilberg. My Review
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| Tree of Life: Sacred Music of Mack Wilberg |
I have listened to the entire CD, Tree of Life, released today to the public.
I wanted to mainly talk about two pieces on the CD, "Cloud of Witnesses" and "The Prodigal." I cried through Cloud of Witnesses while driving home on I-15 last night. Let me tell you why.
I grew up in an oral culture. Hawaiians call it "Ole." Maori and Tongans call it "Haka." We do this to pass on our history from one generation to another.
To me, this style of music (The Prodigal, Cloud of Witnesses) is familiar. It sounds like it comes from the distant past. Like our ancestors are speaking to us in a primitive form but it is married with modern orchestration. It feels grounded and sacred and still modern.
While listening to "Cloud of Witnesses" it sounded Polynesian without actually being Polynesian. It was so odd. Do you remember that scene in the movie Ratatouille when the critic eats the food and it transports him to his childhood? Yeah, that happened to me. I remembered being sick as a young boy listening to my father and uncles singing in Tongan together for hours and hours sharing a part of our Tongan culture and history. It was comforting and familiar. I have been in Utah so long I forgot about that memory for decades until last night. Talk about the waterworks. LOL.
I wonder if other people rooted in oral traditions will have a similar experience.
For me, "Cloud of Witnesses" and "The Prodigal" feel more international (best word I can think to use) to me than anything the choir has done in the past without sacrificing its identity to sound like something else.
I have always had a secret desire that the choir would record a collection of hymns that are not in the English hymnbook but are beloved by LDS congregations in different countries. Especially because the church is international. However, when I listen to the choir sing Cielito Lindo (1972) it's cute but it feels touristy. Kind of like when people sing the Hukilau song. It's cute but, er, no. LOL. So I'm not sure how adapting international hymns would even sound. Yet, the music on this CD sound and feel like they fit into a different culture. Maybe it's just me. I wonder how Jewish cantors, Native Americans, African tribes or other oral-based cultures that chant would receive this music.
For me Western music has a heavier emphasis on melody over lyrics and from my own culture, we value lyrics over melody. Much like rap, I guess. What a weird connection. Still, it is very similar. So, this CD may not be interesting for everyone. It's different and for me, different is great.
Other music on the CD are beautifully rendered, especially "It Is Well With My Soul."
I have a collection of almost every LP, audio cassette and CD the choir has produced since the 1950's. I have listened to them. I am very familiar with the history of the sound of the choir over the years. This album is unique and different. Among the many offerings from the choir over the last century, I feel like this one takes risks earlier recordings have not done. It's almost like a dawning of a new era for the choir into something more than what it has done in the past. I'm excited for what the future holds.
The CD also contains this original song, Tree of Life. It is hauntingly beautiful. Take a listen.
I wanted to mainly talk about two pieces on the CD, "Cloud of Witnesses" and "The Prodigal." I cried through Cloud of Witnesses while driving home on I-15 last night. Let me tell you why.
I grew up in an oral culture. Hawaiians call it "Ole." Maori and Tongans call it "Haka." We do this to pass on our history from one generation to another.
To me, this style of music (The Prodigal, Cloud of Witnesses) is familiar. It sounds like it comes from the distant past. Like our ancestors are speaking to us in a primitive form but it is married with modern orchestration. It feels grounded and sacred and still modern.
While listening to "Cloud of Witnesses" it sounded Polynesian without actually being Polynesian. It was so odd. Do you remember that scene in the movie Ratatouille when the critic eats the food and it transports him to his childhood? Yeah, that happened to me. I remembered being sick as a young boy listening to my father and uncles singing in Tongan together for hours and hours sharing a part of our Tongan culture and history. It was comforting and familiar. I have been in Utah so long I forgot about that memory for decades until last night. Talk about the waterworks. LOL.
I wonder if other people rooted in oral traditions will have a similar experience.
For me, "Cloud of Witnesses" and "The Prodigal" feel more international (best word I can think to use) to me than anything the choir has done in the past without sacrificing its identity to sound like something else.
I have always had a secret desire that the choir would record a collection of hymns that are not in the English hymnbook but are beloved by LDS congregations in different countries. Especially because the church is international. However, when I listen to the choir sing Cielito Lindo (1972) it's cute but it feels touristy. Kind of like when people sing the Hukilau song. It's cute but, er, no. LOL. So I'm not sure how adapting international hymns would even sound. Yet, the music on this CD sound and feel like they fit into a different culture. Maybe it's just me. I wonder how Jewish cantors, Native Americans, African tribes or other oral-based cultures that chant would receive this music.
For me Western music has a heavier emphasis on melody over lyrics and from my own culture, we value lyrics over melody. Much like rap, I guess. What a weird connection. Still, it is very similar. So, this CD may not be interesting for everyone. It's different and for me, different is great.
Other music on the CD are beautifully rendered, especially "It Is Well With My Soul."
I have a collection of almost every LP, audio cassette and CD the choir has produced since the 1950's. I have listened to them. I am very familiar with the history of the sound of the choir over the years. This album is unique and different. Among the many offerings from the choir over the last century, I feel like this one takes risks earlier recordings have not done. It's almost like a dawning of a new era for the choir into something more than what it has done in the past. I'm excited for what the future holds.
The CD also contains this original song, Tree of Life. It is hauntingly beautiful. Take a listen.
I wish I could articulate things better than this. I'm not a music scholar, music critic or writer. I'm just an average guy who loves music and bacon. The music is beautiful and different and I'm glad I could participate in it.
Take a listen and discover something new.
You can purchase it here: Tree of Life: Sacred Music of Mack Wilberg
