Cantus: Alone Together
Signum Classics

When Cantus first formalized the concept for Alone Together in 2016, the eight-member vocal ensemble intended to focus on the harmful effects of cell phone culture and social media, and specifically the tension between the connection technology affords but the concomitant diminishment in human contact it engenders. That concept underwent revision, however, when the pandemic made technology a critical means for maintaining community and relationships. Notwithstanding that shift in thinking, Alone Together still explores issues of isolation and connection, not only in works by contemporary artists but also ones from decades and even centuries past. It's the kind of album where songs by Arcade Fire and The Beatles sit comfortably alongside pieces by Camille Saint-Saëns (“Calme des Nuits”) and Beethoven (“Gesang der Mönche”). Adding to the release's value are premiere recordings of works by Libby Larsen, Gabriel Kahane, and Rosephanye Powell.

When a recording features an abundance of tracks by an eclectic array of artists, the potential for unwieldiness is strong. The decision, therefore, by Cantus to intersperse the five parts of Larsen's adventurous You does much to bring coherence and unity to the set; no matter how far afield a given track might stray, the arrival of another of her work's movements appears to recenter it. Set to the poetry of Emily Dickinson and Edna St. Vincent Millay, You was written with themes of technology and connection in mind and thus accords seamlessly with the album concept. In its experimental design, it also provides a satisfying contrast to song treatments that are relatively straightforward by comparison.

Operating out of the Minnesota-Saint Paul area, the conductor-less, full-time vocal ensemble—four tenors, two baritones, and two basses—is now in its thirtieth anniversary season and celebrated for programming that extends from the Renaissance to today (the album was recorded, incidentally, at the Chapel of St Thomas Aquinas in Saint Paul in July 2021). A better illustration of its vocal artistry would be hard to find than Don MacDonald's beautiful opener “When the Earth Stands Still.” Like a number of other pieces on the album, it's been performed by ensembles far and wide, yet the reading by Cantus verges on sublime. While the hush with which it begins induces chills, the rendition grows even more powerful as it advances. Moving too is Kathleen Allan's “The Green and Salty Days,” which sets Al Pittman's poem about visiting his deserted childhood hometown to music marked by yearning. Though Sharon Durant based “Chinese Proverb” on an extract from an ancient work of Chinese philosophy, the song itself exudes the soulfulness of a gospel hymn.

A haunting performance of Arcade Fire's “Deep Blue” is another highlight, the group's poignant meditation a perfect vehicle for Cantus. Its relevance to the album theme is clearly articulated in the lines, “Put the cell phone down for a while / In the night there is something wild / Can you hear it breathing?,” such words a wise testament to the value of prioritizing attention. Beguiling too is a heartfelt reading of Simon and Garfunkel's “A Most Peculiar Man,” an inspired choice and in its focus on human isolation an apt one for a project so themed. Drawing from the same era is a luscious arrangement of Lennon and McCartney's “She's Leaving Home,” which proves a tremendous showcase for the group's polyphonic artistry.

Like “When the Earth Stands Still,” Benj Pasek and Justin Paul's “You Will Be Found” (from Dear Evan Hansen) is a familiar property, yet Cantus's presentation is so moving it feels as if the song's being delivered for the first time. Its message about acceptance has never been more relevant, however, and is here conveyed with moving conviction. Further to that, the climax to which the performance rises is awesome, amplified as it by the repeated mantras “You are not alone” and “You will be found.” Resonant also is “She,” an ode to the resilience of women by the English singer Laura Mvula, which the group elevates with a soulful and rousing treatment. Likewise memorable are strong pieces by Kahane (the multi-layered choral setting “Coffee with Borges”), Alberto Cortez (“Camina Siempre Adelante”), and Jeff Beal (“Beneath Thin Blanket”).

February 2025