Water Night by Eric Whitacre

18 Songs, 1 Hour, 34 Minutes

EDITORS’ NOTES

In contrast with the vocal emphasis of his Decca debut, Light & Gold, Eric Whitacre’s Water Night features both choral and orchestral pieces, presenting a fully rounded picture of the composer’s talents. Both melodic richness and minimalist rigor are captured here, drawing upon deep wells of classical tradition while achieving an emotional directness that’s very contemporary. Whitacre offers new (and likely definitive) versions of his previously recorded “Her Spirit Soars” (a billowing choral piece with a gorgeous ascending line) and “When David Heard” (matching a Biblical passage to a grandly unfolding melody). Premiering on this album are “Oculi Omnium” and “Alleluia,” a pair of choral works that combine angelic grace with earthly tenderness to stunning effect. The symphonic flourishes and galloping rhythm of “Equus” contrast with the luminous sweep of “Water Night” and the pastoral elegance of “The River Cam” (written for cellist Julian Lloyd Weber). Whitacre’s wife, Hila Plitmann, brings both strength and sweetness to her vocal performance in “Goodnight Moon.”

EDITORS’ NOTES

	TITLE	TIME
	Alleluia Eric Whitacre & Eric Whitacre Singers	9:24
	Equus Eric Whitacre & London Symphony Orchestra	9:02
	Oculi Omnium Eric Whitacre & Eric Whitacre Singers	3:17
	The River Cam (feat. Julian Lloyd Webber) Eric Whitacre, London Symphony Orchestra & Julian Lloyd Webber	11:54
	Her Sacred Spirit Soars By Eric Whitacre & Charles Anthony Silvestri - Eric Whitacre & Eric Whitacre Singers	6:58
	Water Night Eric Whitacre & London Symphony Orchestra	6:06
	Goodnight Moon (feat. Hila Plitmann) Eric Whitacre, London Symphony Orchestra & Hila Plitmann	5:09
	When David Heard Eric Whitacre & Eric Whitacre Singers	17:38
	Sleep My Child By Eric Whitacre & David Noroña - Eric Whitacre & Eric Whitacre Singers	6:22
10	Alleluia (Eric Whitacre Introduction)	2:32
11	Equus (Eric Whitacre Introduction)	1:59
12	Oculi Omnium (Eric Whitacre Introduction)	1:28
13	The River Cam (Eric Whitacre Introduction)	2:02
14	Her Sacred Spirit Soars (Eric Whitacre Introduction)	1:45
15	Water Night (Eric Whitacre Introduction)	2:42
16	Goodnight Moon (Eric Whitacre Intoduction)	1:41
17	When David Heard (Eric Whitacre Introduction)	2:32
18	Sleep My Child (Eric Whitacre Introduction)	1:45

About Eric Whitacre

Eric Whitacre is an American composer best known for his choral music. He has also written a large number of wind band compositions and some electronic music. In addition, he has composed works for orchestra and an opera, Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings. His style is quite approachable and features trademark chords (sevenths and ninths, sometimes heard against a background of sustained seconds and fourths), unexpected chord progressions, aleatoric elements, finger snapping by choral singers, and a host of other typically recognizable characteristics. His soundworld, though modern and quite individual, is invested with certain elements out of the past, however: his orchestral version of Water Night, originally written for chorus, carries echoes of Barber's famous Adagio for Strings, and some have compared Whitacre's style to that of Morten Lauridsen. That said, Whitacre is among the most original American voices of his time. His music is widely performed, especially in the U.S., and recordings of his music, particularly his choral works, are available on Hyperion, Clarion, Albany, and many other labels.

Eric Whitacre was born in Reno, NE, on January 2, 1970. Though he showed interest in music in his youth, playing in the Douglas High School Band in Minden, NE, he did not begin advanced music studies until he entered the University of Nevada, where his most important teacher was noted Ukrainian composer Virko Baley. Whitacre also studied choral conducting there with David Weiller.

Whitacre earned his master's degree at Juilliard, where he studied composition with David Diamond and John Corigliano. By the mid-'90s Whitacre's choral music was already drawing attention: his 1992 Cloudburst and 1995 Water Night, to date his most popular composition, were rapidly gaining currency. His first recordings appeared in the late '90s and by the turn-of-the-century, Whitacre, barely in his thirties, was internationally recognized as among the most important American composers. And it wasn't just his choral works that were drawing attention: at the 2004 Eric Whitacre Wind Symphony Festival was established in Australia by the Sydney Opera House. Other Whitacre festivals would appear in Venice and Florence, beginning in 2007.

In 2006 the British label Hyperion released a highly acclaimed collection of Whitacre choral music that included Water Night and Cloudburst. More recordings followed, while a parallel stream of performances took place in the concert hall. Whitacre's opera Paradise Lost was premiered in July 2007 in Pasadena, CA, at the Theatre at Boston Court.