Catherine Redding, the soprano soloist on tracks 8-11, is a Canadian singer based in Ireland who has performed internationally in oratorio, opera, and recital.
Compositional Technique
Christopher Tyler Nickel's music often uses compound meters, like five, seven, or ten beats per bar, which creates a subtle sense of breathlessness or unease for the listener.
Performer Biography
The Vancouver Chamber Choir, led by Artistic Director Kari Turunen, is Canada's longest-running fully professional choral ensemble, noted for its diverse repertoire and commissioning over 400 Canadian choral works.
Compositional Technique
Christopher Tyler Nickel generally avoids 'word painting' in his settings, preferring to paint moods rather than individual moments, though there are exceptions in these works.
Instruments
Christopher Tyler Nickel, originally an oboist, employs an unusual oboe quartet in his Mass and Te Deum: oboe, oboe d'amore, cor anglais, and bass oboe.
Composition History
Christopher Tyler Nickel composed his Mass and Te Deum concurrently, starting in 2019 while finishing his Requiem, with all four works flowing into each other.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Composer Christopher Tyler Nickel's Mass and Te Deum are surprisingly dark, partly due to being composed during the global pandemic, but also reflecting his personal inclination to see melancholy in things.
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