Search - Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frederick Handel, Antonio Vivaldi :: Going Baroque / Swinging Mozart

This is one of those timeless classics that nobody knows abo

John Abrahamsen | Flagstaff, AZ | 05/29/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The sound of the Swingle Singers is remembered as the breezy supermarket jazz of the 1960s, or the bouncy white scat of Sixties film comedies. It's a sound so deeply associated with it's era that a casual listener might mistakenly think it's dated, but a careful listen to these CD reissues shows that Ward Swingle and his Singers created a unique blend of classical and jazz that breathes fresh air into these stuffy classics. Their second album, Going Baroque, which is half of this two-album reissue, was released in 1964 and is the masterpiece that put the Swingle sound into the public consciousness. The chorus baba-daba-das its way through well-known pieces by Bach, Handel and Vivaldi, and it all sounds very glib at first, but those familiar with these pieces will notice that the singers are copying the original note for note, scat-singing parts traditionally played by string and brass arrangements. It's serious music that feels light-hearted, because the swinging vocal arrangements glide over the regal melodies with such ease and grace that they sound ad-libbed. The best example of this style, and perhaps most representational of the Swingle sound, is track 1, Bach's Badinerie, two minutes of zippy vocal jazz that could just as easily be played on classical radio. But most indicative of the serious talent of these musicians is track 4, a contemplative stroll through Bach's Largo which gives the singers a chance to slow down, and lets the listener hear how each singer carefully nails each note at just the right tempo."

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Sape A. Zylstra | 12/16/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As usual, the Swibngle Singers don't miss a beat or a note. An example of responsible use of the classics and then, those voices!!"