Bassist about town and writer par excellence Spike Perkins is adding his unique voice to TVD all week long. Here he reflects on another of his favorite vinyl albums- the Canby Singers’ album the Dove Descending.
This highly unusual collection of a cappella choral pieces is the Canby Singers’ second for Nonesuch Records. The first was the Baroque Beatles Book, a witty series of Beatles songs re-imagined by conductor Joshua Rifkin in the style of baroque composers like Bach and Handel. This record is no joke, though, and the texts for this lovely choral music mostly dwell on what director and liner notes author Edward Tatnall Canby calls “mournful poetic sentiment.” Some great poets are represented here, too—Emily Dickinson, T.S. Elliot, Rainer Maria Rilke.
The choice of composers it unusual—they range from those of the 16th century (Monteverdi, Gesualdo) to the 20th (Hindemith, Carter, Stravinsky) with a healthy dose of Brahms sandwiched in between. Somehow ancient modality and modern sonority blend to create a haunting listening experience.
I came by my affinity for classical choral music early, as my father was a classical church music director, and I sang in his choirs all through my youth. Nonesuch Records, with their often-offbeat classical repertoire and colorful, whimsical cover art were a big part of my experience growing up, too.
Jack Holzman, head of the then-independent Elektra Records, founded Nonesuch Records in 1964. He had noticed young people reading classic literature in paperback, and thought they might buy classical recordings if they were more affordable. He kept costs down by licensing existing recordings by European artists, and added the groovy art work, which often resembles Peter Max channeling the 18th century. The label was so successful it helped finance the pop side of Elektra and enabled Holzman to sign the Doors and Love.
When I started collecting records in my early teens, classical along with rock and jazz, I didn’t exactly have a Deutche Grammophon budget, and the Nonesuch line was appealing. Today the label has greatly expanded, with a big catalogue of jazz, classical, world music, and even roots artists like Wanda Jackson. Sadly, though, the unique cover art concept is no more.
Spike Perkins has resided in New Orleans since 1982, where he works as a musician and freelance writer. His work has appeared in the Times-Picayune, and other publications, and he has performed with many New Orleans-based artists. He wrote the cult hit “Pitbull” with Coco Robicheaux, and appears on Robicheaux’s “Spiritland” CD.
