Brothers, Sing On!

American Record Guide
September/October 2006

In business since 1984, the Washington Men's Camerata has carved out an important niche for itself in the District of Columbia's ultrabusy choral scene.  Now led by Frank Albinder, formerly an associate conductor with Chanticleer, the Camerata continues to make its presence felt at prime venues like Wolf Trap, the Smithsonian, the National Gallery, and the Kennedy Center.  These selections constitute a male choral anthology par excellence, with folk songs ('Shenandoah'), spirituals ('Ride the Chariot'), sea chanteys ('What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor?'), English airs ('Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes'), and motets (the Biebl 'Ave Maria', Tallis's 'If Ye Love Me') all adding up to a handsome mix.

But the singing, while attractive, is a little too cool, a little too monochromatic, stuck in "vanilla" mode as the idioms come and go.  For starters, I could do with some more fraternal snap in Grieg's 'Brothers, Sing On!', more of an ethereal quality in the Biebl 'Ave Maria', and a more affecting interplay of dynamics in Tallis's 'If Ye Love Me'.  Not all the solos emanating from the choir are of the highest quality either.