Inside Mormon Music: CDs remember Wilberg's 16 years at BYU

There are many BYU Men's Chorus fans all over the world; I am one of them. What is it about a chorus of men's voices that is so appealing? Maybe it's because I find men who can sing to be extremely attractive. What girl doesn't? But there's something special about these 200 men's voices that gets me every time.In response to the many fans and requests, Tantara Records (BYU's label) has remastered and released the popular "Shout with Glory!" and "Awake My Soul" CDs. These new releases also coincide with the 50th anniversary of the BYU Men's Chorus.At the time this music was originally recorded, the Men's Chorus was under the baton of conductor Mack Wilberg. Wilberg conducted the BYU Men's Chorus and Concert Choir from 1984 to 1999. Under his direction, the Men's Chorus became the biggest collegiate male choral organization in the United States. Wilberg is now director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.The CDs feature many arrangements by Wilberg himself. He was well-known for his conducting style and often used small instrument ensembles made up of choir members.Songs on "Shout With Glory!" range from Wilberg's popular arrangement of "Redeemer of Israel" to the rhythmic spiritual "Dry Bones." A Nigerian Christmas carol, which also happens to be the Men's Chorus signature piece, "Betelehemu," is also featured along with many more songs. The variety of songs shows Wilburg's and the Men's Chorus' skills to captivate audiences with their passion for music."Awake My Soul" was first released two years after "Shout with Glory!" and is a collection of inspirational hymns. The majority of this compilation was arranged by Wilberg and accompanied by the BYU orchestras.Today's technology has made it possible to digitally remaster these recordings. Louder and softer dynamics are found on these CDs, ranges not possible when they were originally recorded.Ben Fales, operations manager of Tantara Records said, "We are very excited to introduce these wonderful recordings to a whole new generation of music lovers.""Shout with Glory!" and "Awake My Soul" can be found online and on iTunes. For more information, visit www.tantararecords.com.