A Premier Catalog of Premiere Recordings

CD109 Inscription of Hope

Inscription of Hope

Northwest Girlchoir
Rebecca J. Rottsolk, director
Dwight Beckmeyer, accompanist

Complete texts
56'20" total playing time

CD109 $15.95

Inscription of Hope brings together a concert of songs and simple, eloquent texts that celebrate the resiliency of the human spirit against great adversity. The essence of this theme is expressed in the first song, the words of which were taken from a cellar wall in Germany where Jews were hiding from the Nazis:

I believe in the sun even when it is not shining.
And I believe in love even when there's no one there.

The songs celebrate not only hope against all odds, but also reinforce the Old Testament assurance that "Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." Thus children imprisoned in the Terezin ghetto during World War II could still experience the beauty of nature: "The dandelions call to me...Go to the woods someday. Then you'll know how wonderful it is to be alive." The texts of Bashana haba'Ah, Hava Nagila and Sure on This Shining Night celebrate confidence in the years to come, healing and health, and the ecstacy of being part of this Earth.

The passionate struggles for freedom are embodied in songs whose words are taken from the struggle for equality and civil rights. The theme of hope emerges vibrantly from the inspirational words of Martin Luther King woven throughout the gospel hymn Precious Lord, Take My Hand and from the music that rose out of slavery in America and apartheid in South Africa.

The faith, conviction and steadfastness we honor in The Inscription of Hope shines through our love, our tears and our voices.

--Rebecca J. Rottsolk, Director

CONTENTS

Z. Randall Stroope - Inscription of Hope
Pablo Casals - Nigra Sum
Gerald Cohen - Adonai To'i
Charles Davidson - The Butterfly
Charles Davidson - On a Sunny Evening
Charles Davidson - Birdsong
arr. Valerie Shields - Bashana Haba'Ah
arr. Valerie Shields - Hava Nigila
Samuel Barber/Rottsolk - Sure on This Shining Night
G.N. Allen/Ringwald - Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Oscar Peterson/Hovi - Hymn to Freedom
arr. Stephen Hatfield - African Celebration
Walter Hawkins/Sirvatka - I'm Going Up A Yonder
Peter Yarrow - Light One Candle

Listen:

Sure on This Shining Night by Samuel Barber, arr. for Treble Chorus & Piano by Rebecca Rottsolk.

This Seattle-based choir of 100-plus young women is terrific. …Their singing is very professional; clear, bright, in tune, affectionately phrased, and full of character. The program is an attractive one, each selection carrying a message of hope in the face of adversity. …A warm, touching program, in short, from an organization that must be a great asset to cultural life in the Pacific Northwest. --Greenfield, American Record Guide, July/Aug. 1998 A well-polished production, both technically and musically. Choral enthusiasts will not, could not, be disappointed by the Northwest Girlchoir. --Gavin Borchert, Music Critic, The Seattle Weekly These young musicians possess a great depth of understanding and complexity rare in children’s choirs. They are precise and disciplined, yet produce a very flexible and incredibly sensitive sound. Rebecca Rottsolk continually outdoes herself as a highly skilled director and teacher. We’re lucky to have such an internationally recognized choir so close to home. --Gerard Schwarz, Conductor, Seattle Symphony Orchestra