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Albums and Playlists
Listen to the Navona Records release, Into the Still Hollow on Spotify:
Textura review of Into the Still Hollow: : "A man of multiple talents, John Rommereim is a composer, choir conductor, harpsichordist, and pedagogue who's distinguished himself as an admired creator of both vocal and instrumental music. Both sides are captured on this superb chamber music compendium, which extends from lieder arranged for vocalist and, respectively, piano and string quartet to settings for solo guitar and duos of organ and saxophone and organ and oboe. Interestingly, rather than an expected alternation between vocal and instrumental works, the sequencing of the release bifurcates the two, with five vocal settings followed by three instrumental ones."
It is no secret that John Rommereim harbors an immense love for vocal music. Known for his choral compositions as well as his conducting of choirs, it would be easy to pigeonhole the man — were it not for the existence of his instrumental works. INTO THE STILL HOLLOW juxtaposes both talents, and offers a glimpse at Rommereim’s multifarious accomplishments. The variety is astounding. There are intimate lieder, accompanied by piano or an evocative string quartet; a three-part suite for solo guitar; and unconventional duos, one for organ and saxophone, the other for organ and oboe. Stylistically, the pieces walk the fine line between Western tradition and its ritual annihilation. Cerebral, yes, but also impassioned.
Listen to "Beauty by Beauty" on the Navona Records release, Found Again, by Cantori New York, Mark Shapiro, Conductor on Spotify:
"Beauty by Beauty" appears on the Navona Records release, Found Again, by Cantori New York, Mark Shapiro Conductor. From the album notes: "Beauty by Beauty, by John Rommereim, [offers] a gentle, inward-looking setting of texts by three-time U.S. poet laureate Joy Harjo on themes of courage, spiritual transformation, and of human connection to the earth and to one another. "
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John Rommereim's "Gesangvoll: Variations on a Theme by Beethoven" can be heard on the recent Navona Records album, Heavy Pedal II. To fully appreciate this piece, it is helpful to listen to the piece that it is based upon, that is,, the last movement of Beethoven's Piano Sonata no. 30. Gesangvoll was commissioned byJohn Landkamer as a companion piece to the Beethoven sonata.
Beethoven's Sonata No. 30 as a point of reference:
A recording of Beethoven's Piano Sonata no. 30 performed by Maria Joao Pires for reference::
Jan Dismas Zelenka's Missa Omnium Sanctorum, in a recording by the Grinnell Singers with the Lyra Baroque Orchestra, conducted by John Rommereim. The Czech composer Zelenka (1679-1745) has been increasingly recognized in recent decades as one of the baroque era’s most capable and distinctive composers. Zelenka’s mass offers colorful, surprising harmonies and contrapuntal brilliance that rivals that of J. S. Bach. This collaboration between the Grinnell Singers and the Twin-Cities-based professional period-instrument orchestra represents the fourth time that the two ensembles have combined forces since their first concert together in 2015. The album includes solos from Grinnell College faculty members Suzanne Lommler, mezzo-soprano, and Nicholas Miguel, baritone, as well as the celebrated soprano from the Twin Cities, Linh Kauffman, and University of Northern Iowa faculty member Jeffrey Brich, tenor.
The Grinnell Singers recording of the complete All-Night Vigil Op. 37 by Sergei Rachmaninov, under the direction of John Rommereim, hailed for its "consummate artistry" by Iowa Public Radio's Curt Snook, host of the Choral Tradition.
This is a CD on the Centaur label of the Op. 91 Sonatas for flute and obligato Harpsichord, by Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, performed by Rebecca Stuhr, flute, and John Rommereim, harpsichord. I performed on my harpsichord, which was made by D. Jacques Way in 1991. We performed at A = 392 (roughly a whole step lower than A 440). We recorded it at a little church outside Solon Iowa for the sound isolation, and Peter Nothnagle was our engi
Piano Diaries are a set of 14 improvised piano pieces created in the summer of 2019. Many of the pieces use a technical device in Ableton that creates canons at various intervals and in inversion. They were performed in one take, so you can hear a few slips here and there. If you listen, be sure to check out the last one, "Anuli," which I made for my stepdaughter's wedding. I wrote a part for flute and asked my friend Claudia Anderson to join me.
Na zemli mir [Peace on Earth] is a compilation of sacred Russian music recorded by the Grinnell Choral Ensembles under the direction of John Rommereim in 1991. Among the notable tracks is Nyne optushayeshi, track 9, which includes then-student Thomas Meglioranza, who has gone on to have an illustrious career as a baritone soloist.
Na zemli mir
[Peace on Earth]
John Rommereim's "Poem of Light" appears on the Carols And Lullabyes album by the Girl Choir of South Florida,
John Rommereim's "Calm on the Listening Earof Night" appears on the Behold this Heavenly Light album by Vocalessence, Philip Brunelle, artistic director
John Rommereim's "Amara" appears on the Second Wind album by saxophonist Dave Camwell, with the Troy University Concert Chorale conducted by Diane Orlovsky.
John Rommereim | Conductor Videos
Confutatis maledictis from Mozart's Requiem
The Grinnell Singers and the Grinnell Oratorio Society perform "Confutatis Maledictis" from Mozart's Requiem. Recorded in concert November 24, 2019. Viewed almost 390,000 times.
Missa Omnium Sanctorum,
by Jan Dismas Zelenka
The Grinnell Singers and Lyra Baroque Orchestra perform Missa Omnium Sanctorum by Jan Dismas Zelenka, a colorful, tuneful work by the brilliant Czech composer who was a contemporary of J. S. Bach.
Agnus Dei, by Samuel Barber
The Grinnell Singers perform Samuel Barber's choral arrangement of his famous Adagio for Strings.
Her Beacon Hand, by Caroline Shaw
A movement from Caroline Shaw's powerful work, To the Hands
Sacred Love by Gyorgy Sviridov
Graciela Guzman performs the solo on this heart-rending piece by Gyorgy Sviridov. Translation: O Love, You, you, O Love are sacred. From the beginning you are persecuted Your blood is poured out. O Love, You, you, O Love are sacred.
Embroidered Verses, by
Kareem Roustom, movt. III
The Grinnell Singers with the Al-Bustan Takht Ensemble perform Syrian-American composer Kareem Roustom's Embroidered Verses, movement 3: Love Song . . . Ya Ma’shar al-Nas . . . Um Al-Kiram. Live recording from March, 2018.
Mass in A Major BWV 234, by J. S. Bach, Gloria Movt.
The Grinnell Singers with the Lyra Baroque Orchestra perform J. S. Bach's Mass inA Major BWV 234, Gloria Movement.
Dixit Dominus, by G. F. Handel, final movement
The Grinnell Singers with the Lyra Baroque Orchestra perform gthe spectacular final movement to Handel's Dixit Dominus
John Rommereim | Piano
Deep Blue
flute and piano
John Rommereim and Claudia Anderson perform Ian Clarke's "Deep Blue" for flute and piano
Anuli
piano and flute
John Rommereim and Claudia Anderson perform John Rommereim's "Anuli" for piano and flute. This piece was originally made for my step-daughter's wedding. The piano part is improvised, and uses a device in the program Ableton that creates a canon during the live performance.
Piano Diary Entry 13
"Chance Encounter"
One of 14 improvized piano pieces in the set "Piano Diaries". recorded in the summer of 2019. Available on Spotify and YouTube.
Thoreau, by Charles Ives
A pandemic performance of "Thoreau" by Charles Ives; John Rommereim, piano and voice.
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
A pandemic performance of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." John Rommereim, piano and vocals, Mark Laver, saxophone. I was recovering from a cold, which gives my voice a little more grit than usual.