Metier
Of Mere Being
$18.99
Details
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Artist
- The Choir of the Church of the Advent, Boston, Chengcheng Ma
- Format
- CD
- Label
- Metier
- Released
- Jun 20, 2025
- Catalog #
- MEX77111
- UPC
- 809730711121
About
Rodney Lister's Choral Works: A Journey Through Text, Harmony, and Expression Rodney Lister's choral compositions represent a remarkable synthesis of literary sensitivity, harmonic sophistication, and an abiding commitment to vocal expressivity. This recording offers a collection of Lister's works composed over several decades for the chorus of Greenwood Music Camp, a summer program with which he has been deeply involved as a composer, pianist, and mentor. The repertoire featured here provides a rare and illuminating perspective on the evolution of his choral writing, spanning from early diatonic and modal explorations to later works of greater harmonic intricacy. Lister's deep engagement with text is evident throughout this collection. Drawing upon poets such as Wallace Stevens, Gertrude Stein, and others, his settings bring out the rhythm, colour, and nuance of the language in ways that feel both natural and revelatory. Early works embrace clarity and directness, allowing the shape and syntax of the poetry to guide musical decisions, while later pieces exhibit a denser harmonic language that reflects his affinity for figures like Virgil Thomson and even the chromatic daring of composers such as Gesualdo. Throughout, his choral textures remain vibrant and varied, capable of both luminous transparency and rich complexity. A defining characteristic of Lister's music is his ability to balance tradition and innovation. He employs familiar harmonic structures yet subtly subverts expectations, allowing triadic formations to shift and realign in ways that create an ever-changing sense of musical space. The result is music that feels both grounded and pleasingly unpredictable, continually engaging the listener in an unfolding dialogue between stability and transformation. His approach to choral writing is informed by his experience as both a composer and pianist, ensuring that every line is singable, every phrase thoughtfully shaped, and every harmonic progression imbued with a keen sense of dramatic pacing. This recording not only highlights Lister's distinctive compositional voice but also captures his deep personal investment in the choral medium. His long-standing association with Greenwood Music Camp and other ensembles has allowed him to refine his craft in a setting that fosters both artistic rigor and communal engagement. The performances here reflect that intimate understanding between composer and ensemble, bringing his works to life with clarity, warmth, and expressive depth. For those interested in contemporary choral music that bridges past and present, intellect and emotion, structure and spontaneity, Lister's choral works offer a rewarding experience.
Tracklist 21 tracks
-
1 I. Toward a Supreme Fiction 01:34
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Toward a Supreme Fiction
- Duration
- 01:34
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
2 II. A Clear Day and No Memories 01:32
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. A Clear Day and No Memories
- Duration
- 01:32
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
3 III. The Snowman 02:00
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. The Snowman
- Duration
- 02:00
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
4 IV. Another Weeping Woman 01:27
- Track
- 4
- Title
- IV. Another Weeping Woman
- Duration
- 01:27
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
5 Of Mere Being 01:30
- Track
- 5
- Title
- Of Mere Being
- Duration
- 01:30
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
6 Never Give All the Heart 01:47
- Track
- 6
- Title
- Never Give All the Heart
- Duration
- 01:47
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
7 Vanishing Point 04:40
- Track
- 7
- Title
- Vanishing Point
- Duration
- 04:40
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
8 To the Harbormaster 03:26
- Track
- 8
- Title
- To the Harbormaster
- Duration
- 03:26
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
9 A Downward Look 02:30
- Track
- 9
- Title
- A Downward Look
- Duration
- 02:30
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
10 The Lost Feed 03:46
- Track
- 10
- Title
- The Lost Feed
- Duration
- 03:46
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
11 Stanza XV 02:48
- Track
- 11
- Title
- Stanza XV
- Duration
- 02:48
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
12 Stanza XVI 00:49
- Track
- 12
- Title
- Stanza XVI
- Duration
- 00:49
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
13 Stanza XXXVIII 01:25
- Track
- 13
- Title
- Stanza XXXVIII
- Duration
- 01:25
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
14 On the Road Home 02:37
- Track
- 14
- Title
- On the Road Home
- Duration
- 02:37
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
15 To the Republic 04:35
- Track
- 15
- Title
- To the Republic
- Duration
- 04:35
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
16 Pasture Poem 01:32
- Track
- 16
- Title
- Pasture Poem
- Duration
- 01:32
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
17 Measuring Worm 03:53
- Track
- 17
- Title
- Measuring Worm
- Duration
- 03:53
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
18 Green Trimmed 01:27
- Track
- 18
- Title
- Green Trimmed
- Duration
- 01:27
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
19 To a Waterfowl 07:48
- Track
- 19
- Title
- To a Waterfowl
- Duration
- 07:48
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
20 The Bees (version for choir and piano) 04:12
- Track
- 20
- Title
- The Bees (version for choir and piano)
- Duration
- 04:12
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer
-
21 Our Revels Now Are Ended 01:47
- Track
- 21
- Title
- Our Revels Now Are Ended
- Duration
- 01:47
- Composer
- Rodney Lister
- Performer
- Chengcheng Ma
- Ensemble
- Boston Church of the Advent Choir
- Conductor
- Mark Dwyer