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!ecordings o" Co#land$s The Promise of Living %aron Co#land$s #iece The Promise of Living has &eco'e (uite #o#ular since Co#land e'&ellished it. %s a result) it has &een #la*ed &* 'an* choirs around the +orld. ,aturall*) these choirs tend to #la* slightl* di""erent -ersions o" the #iece. .or instance) one -ersion o" The Promise of Living) #er"or'ed in 2012 &* the Hastings College Choir) is distinct "ro' 'ost other renditions o" the #iece in that +hen the &ases enter on

the line /"or 'an* a *ear) +e$-e kno+n these "ields)0 the* are noticea&l* louder and their -oices 'ore #o+er"ul than the tenors) altos) and so#ranos +ho had #re-iousl* &een singing. %dditionall*) this -ersion o" the #iece hea-il* e'#hasi1es the #iano) es#eciall* to+ard its end the #iano &eco'es signi"icantl* louder than the other instru'ents as +ell as the singers. %nother e2a'#le #resents itsel" in the 3a*lor 4ni-ersit*$s President$s Concert o" 2011. Co'#ared to the "irst recording o" The Promise of Living, 3a*lor 4ni-ersit* sings 'ore (uietl*) at least to+ard the &eginning o" the #iece. %dditionall*) the -oices see' to &e 'ore coordinated the &ases) tenors) altos) and so#ranos all &lend together) and it is 'ore di""icult to tell the' a#art. .inall*) the #iano is &arel* i" at all noticea&le the singers$ -oices as +ell as the #la*ing o" the -iolin are 'uch louder) and as a result the #iano$s 'usic is #ushed into the &ackground. % third and "inal e2a'#le co'es in 5ohn 6illia's$ -ersion o" The Promise of Living. Here) there is noticea&l* 'ore disunit* &et+een the tenors and the altos their di""erences are "ar 'ore distinguisha&le. %dditionall*) the &ases$ entrance into the #iece is 'uch 'ore (uiet rather

Stekl than #racticall* shouting /"or 'an* a *ear) +e$-e kno+n these "ields)0 as the Hastings College Choir does) the* co'e in al'ost +his#ering. Ho+e-er) &* the end o" the song) e-er*one is singing (uite loudl*) and in "act) the singing noticea&l* o-er#o+ers all instru'ents in-ol-ed) so that neither the -iolin and the #iano are -er* loud. %lthough the -arious -ersions o" The Promise of Living certainl* ha-e their di""erences) all three -ersions descri&ed a&o-e 'aintain the sa'e core 'elod*) har'onies) and l*rics +hich characteri1e the #iece. hus) the #ieces are all -er* si'ilar +hen one "irst listens to the') &ut as one listens 'ore closel*) one starts to notice s'all &ut i'#ortant distinctions &et+een the -ersions.

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