Cantus’ Eternal Day and Long Night

“Acclaimed as the ‘premier men’s vocal ensemble in the United States (Fanfare),” proclaims the opening line of Cantus’ bio. Such a claim may not be provocative in Cantus’ home territory of Minneapolis/St. Paul, but to Bay Area music lovers, it sure sounds as though this Midwestern nine-man ensemble has thrown down the gauntlet in Chanticleer’s direction.

To intensify the sense of competition, That Eternal Day, Cantus’ eleventh CD in 10 years, marches straight into Chanticleer territory. The 18-track CD contains arrangements of at least seven African-American (well, Negro) spirituals and traditional gospel songs. These include three found on Chanticleer’s CD How Sweet the Sound, one that appears on its own Our American Journey, and others that it has programmed in concert. To up the ante, Cantus’ second track, “Wondrous Love,” is the title song of Chanticleer’s eponymous world folk song collection.

The two groups’ sounds could not be more dissimilar. Cantus’ current lineup consists of five tenors, two baritones, and two basses; there’s not a male alto or soprano to be found. The high sweetness that has long been a Chanticleer trademark — even among the tenors — is traded for a far more closely knit, “manly” blend. And, as you well might expect, Cantus’ arrangements do not include anything from Chanticleer’s former artistic director, Joseph Jennings.

In fact, Cantus no longer has an artistic director. Currently an artist-led ensemble, it assigns each song to a different singer/producer. As laudably democratic as that may sound, it seems to account for a tendency toward leaden tone heard when certain Cantus members oversing, as occurs on “What I Have Done,” an amalgam arrangement of “Amazing Grace”/“House of the Rising Sun” by Cantus bass Timothy C. Takach; on Cantus tenor Aaron Humble’s arrangement of “The Sweet By and By”; and on the group’s arrangement of “Been in the Storm.”

Perhaps the absence of a music director is also responsible for lugubrious performances of strophic repertoire whose verses are frequently sung without variation. The title track, the well-known spiritual “There’s a Meeting Here Tonight,” maintains as much interest as intoning the phone book.

It’s one thing to eschew all attempts at stereotypical southern African-American accents; it’s another thing to sing and clap as if the spirit left you a long time ago. At least Takach’s arrangement of “Keep Your Lamps” enlivens things, with startling pounding on a drum and the occasional tambourine shake.

Sonically, the CD is a major step backward from Cantus’ 2008 audiophile triumph, While You Are Alive. The earlier CD, recorded by John Atkinson (Stereophile) with high-resolution techniques and minimalist miking, is distinguished by far more transparent and naturally resonant sound, plus far more involving vocal color. While You Are Alive also boasts far more stimulating modern repertoire, including a gorgeous arrangement and performance of Eric Whitacre’s “Lux Aurumque” that rivals all others.

Finally, there’s a major philosophical issue with That Eternal Day. “Singing has its roots firmly planted in sacred music, and has been bringing people together for centuries,” proclaims this CD, which is devoted exclusively to America’s heritage of sacred music. Given the choice of repertoire, however, the message is that America’s sacred music and spiritual essence are 100 percent Christian. Any indication of other faiths and spiritual beliefs, including those of people burned at the stake by America’s pioneer settlers, is absent.