Then and There, Here and Now

One of the world’s finest, most refined male choral groups celebrates its 40th anniversary with an album that surveys the depth and breadth of its repertoire. Sixteenth-century gems by Byrd, Palestrina and Lasso set the scene, before the San Francisco-based Chanticleer plunges into a miscellany of folk-song arrangements, jazz standards, popular numbers and a selection of music originally commissioned by the group. There are highlights at every turn, but William Hawley’s 1986 “Io son la primavera” showcases Chanticleer’s beautiful vocal blend, while Brian Hinman’s joyous close-harmony arrangement of the Yiddish song “Bei mir bist du shein” plays to the group’s sense of fun.