The Hope of Loving Conspirare & Craig Hella Johnson

• Jake Runestad (b. 1986):
• 1 Waves 07:28
• American Triptych:
• 2 American Triptych: No. 1, Reflections 07:14
• 3 American Triptych: No. 2, The Peace of Wild Things 05:14
• 4 American Triptych: No. 3, Come to the Woods 11:21
• Jake Runestad:
• 5 Why the Caged Bird Sings 09:06
• 6 Spirited Light 05:02
• 7 Let My Love Be Heard (Version for Choir) 05:07
• 8 And So I Go On 07:00
• The Hope of Loving:
• 9 The Hope of Loving: No. 1, Yield to Love 02:15
• 10 The Hope of Loving: No. 2, Wild Forces 02:01
• 11 The Hope of Loving: No. 3, Wondrous Creatures 00:58
• 12 The Hope of Loving: No. 4, The Heart's Veil 03:28
• 13 The Hope of Loving: No. 5, My Soul Is a Candle 04:46
• 14 The Hope of Loving: No. 6, The Hope of Loving 02:51
• Into the Light:
• 15 Into the Light: No. 4, Flower into Kindness 05:19
• Total Runtime 01:19:10

Info for The Hope of Loving

Jake Runestad is one of Americas leading composers of the younger generation; witness his many commissions from prestigious ensembles and artist institutions worldwide. This, the first Delos album devoted to his music, presents many of his finest choral compositions. Listeners will marvel at the rich, luminous textures, lyricism and harmonic wizardry of his compositions as he explores (among others) themes of love, spirituality and the natural world in mesmerizing settings of verses by poets ranging from medieval mystics to more contemporary masters. And what better ensemble to perform these rarefied pieces than Craig Hella Johnsons Grammy winning Conspirare chamber choir, a select professional ensemble that has captivated choral fans worldwide for nearly three decades now. Among American choirs, it has achieved near-legendary status for its consistently supreme technical mastery, collective musicality, interpretive depth and other-worldly sonic lushness.

"The beautiful, socially conscious choral works of Jake Runestad take center stage for this January concert series and Conspirare’s next recording. Runestad’s commitment to musically potent and well-crafted compositions aligns with current cultural questions about race, gender, orientation, and psychological challenges related to suicide and gun violence. “Runestad…has a particular knack for marrying powerful music to texts that speak to some of the most pressing and moving issues of our time.” (Star Tribune)

Conspirare
Craig Hella Johnson, direction

Craig Hella Johnson
is the Founding Artistic Director and Conductor of the Austin-based, internationally renowned, Grammy®-nominated choir Conspirare. Additionally, he serves as Music Director of Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble and Artistic Director of the Victoria Bach Festival.

In 1998, Johnson was Artistic Director of San Franciscobased Chanticleer and from 2000-2005 was Music Director of Houston Masterworks Chorus. Known for crafting thoughtprovoking musical journeys that create deep connections between performers and listeners, Johnson is in frequent demand as a guest conductor of choral and orchestral works in the USA and abroad. Johnson was named Texas State Musician for 2013, received the Louis Botto Award from Chorus America in 2009 and was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame in 2008. Johnson served as the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Texas in Austin from 1990 to 2001 and was appointed Texas State University’s first Artist-in-Residence in Fall 2012.

Johnson’s compositions, arrangements, and edited scores are published by Alliance Music and as part of the Craig Hella Johnson Choral Series with G. Schirmer and Hal Leonard. He also performs as a pianist and singer in a variety of styles. Johnson studied at St. Olaf College, the Juilliard School, the University of Illinois, Yale University, and at the International Bach Academy with Helmuth Rilling as a National Arts Fellowship recipient.

Booklet for The Hope of Loving