Both the New Hampshire Master Chorale and the Manchester Choral Society elevate the works of composer-in-residence Jonathan Santore on There are Many Other Legends, an expansive collection of works from Santore’s choral catalogue...

There are Many Other Legends represents highlights of the chorale work of Jonathan Santore. These are referential pieces, some alluding to other works of vocal music while others recall the mythology of distant cultures.

'The Return (Armistice Poems) - III. The Country of the Camisards' has a segment that reminded me of the hymn 'Make Me a Channel of Your Peace', a motif that seemed to echo throughout this album.

'Love Always!' opens with three notes (which are repeated throughout the piece) which I instantly recognised, but couldn't place. It took me ages to realise they were from Alan Silvestri's score for Back to the Future - a coincidence I'm sure.

'O Sweet Spontaneous Earth - I. O sweet spontaneous' made me sit up and take notice, but not for the right reasons. I couldn't see what else they could be, and believe me I've listened over and over again, but I could swear there's a segment where the choir repeat over and over again: "You big fat puff!" That just can't be right.

'Requiem - Learning to Fall - Part One IV. Haul the Wood, Hammer the Shingles' was of interest as it felt like a musical in progress. In fact, for me it was the 12 part 'Requiem - Learning to Fall' that made this album worth adding to my collection.

It's an impressive, diverse collection which contains 30 tracks (1 hr, 03 min, 37 sec). The final track 'Farewell' was the album's main highlight for me.

8

Darren Rea