SAND FLOOR CATHEDRAL - DVD

Lee Johnson

London Symphony Orchestra, London Metro Voices, Atlanta Schola Cantorum, The Young Singers of LaGrange

Soloists:
Lee Johnson - piano and keyboards
Felicia Sorenson - voice
Jack Gallup - guitars
Marlaina Johnson - voice
Sam Skelton - winds
Ben Zion Brohnstein - Narrator
Conducted by Lee Johnson

"Sand Floor Cathedral" has been inspired by the many wonderful adventures that I have had at sea. I have been swimming with humpback whales in the Dominican Republic's Silver Banks, I listened to, and have recorded their ancient songs. I have been swimming with bottlenose dolphins, spotted dolphins, and sharks in Bimini, Bahamas and I have been free-diving on shipwrecks and coral reefs throughout Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.

These fantastic life-changing adventures helped me to understand the cathedral of the sea and propelled my desire to musically share these experiences with others. The feelings that I had while being in the presence of such profound beauty found their way into my music. (Lee Johnson)
The work begins with a solo voice performing a chant-like setting of the "Gloria", that evolves into a full orchestral mélange. During the five tracks that follow, using voices and every orchestral instrument available, including saxophone, harp, harpsichord, and drums, Johnson takes us from "Ancient Sound Pictures" through "Mutual Admiration", the Sanctus of a Mass.

Finally, we are "Lingering at Dusk" watching the great, wide sea, full of various creatures and ships and asking for peace. True to the cycle of life, the final track, "Upon the Face of the Waters" leads back to the beginning, as the narrator recites lines from Genesis in Hebrew, above the music.

A children's choir and a mixed choir, accompanied by full orchestra, end Sand Floor Cathedral with the words "It is good. Elohim" (Lord).

The music of Lee Johnson defines modern classical music by crossing several centuries and integrating styles. His music has charm, beauty, and warms the heart. "Sand Floor Cathedral" exemplifies his carefully crafted, intellectual, yet highly spiritual musical journeys. He uses a variety of techniques that vary from those typically associated with European classical music, to others that originated in non-western countries. His elegant, insightful and celestial combination of modern elements and old forms make him the quintessential new classicist.
(Dr. Lyn Schenbeck, USA)

Composer, conductor, producer, performer Lee Johnson has recorded and conducted numerous works at the famed Abbey Road Studios in London. He has composed five symphonies, numerous chamber works, four musicals, two operas, concerti, choral and vocal works, works for ballet theater, feature and experimental film, and hundreds of works for multimedia and interactive technologies.

Johnson received an Emmy Award, was named Georgia Artist of the Year, has charted on Billboard, has won ASCAP and ADDY Awards, and is the full-time Callaway Professor of Music Chair at LaGrange College in Georgia, USA.



www.leejohnsonmusic.com
e-mail: bookings@leejohnsonmusic.com

Photos- and biography click "mediaservice"

If you want to buy just the music of this DVD, please order the 02432 from the catalogue.

TRACKLIST & DETAILS

I. "Sand Floor Cathedral" [43:42 ]
-Symphony No. 5- (2001)
1. Sand Floor Cathedral (4:18 )
2. Ancient Sound Pictures - prologue (2:31)
3. Ancient Sound Pictures (3:32 )
4. Visits From The Pod (5:44)
5. Mutual Admiration (4:08)
6. Lingering At Dusk (2:39)
7. Upon The Face Of The Waters (20:48)

Produced and mixed by Lee Johnson
Executive Producer Ulrich Rützel
The music of "Sand Floor Cathedral" won the "Prix de la Musique et la Mer Ville D'Antibes 2002". Watch our website www.ccnc.com for the forthcoming DVD-Music Video in fall 2003!


Details:
Duration: DVD approx. 50 min. CD approx. 45min.
Language: Englisch
AudioFormat: DTS 5.1. / DD 5.1 / 2.0
ScreenRatio: 4:3 Letterbox
Disc-Type: DVD 5
Regioncode: All Regions/NTSC

Special
Package DVD incl. Audio CD / Interviews / Behind the ScenesFliesstext