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In the future a publications portion will be added, dealing with sale of publications not bundled with audio rercordings.


TortoiseClimbing Audio Online Marketplace


(Credit/Debit cards accepted.)


On the online Audio Marketplace you can:


Audio Marketplace Index Page - All Released Products


Individual Audio Products

Albums

The Crucifixion by John Stainer (released October 2024)


View the playlist for this 1959 AHS performance of The Crucifixion by clicking Playlist.


Digital Download - Free! (However, if you want unlimited mp3 streaming from Bandcamp, they charge $1.00. You have to decline Bandcamp's streaming to get for free.)


CD - $4.00, includes shipping!


Note. CDs will be individually burned on demand for delivery via mail. They will be hand-labeled, i.e., a plain CD. The CD has the same 15 individual tracks as the digital, version 2 download, giving you the ability to skip to any of Stainer's numbered pieces on demand.


Preview and order by clicking The Crucifixion. (This page includes options for both Free Digital download, and CD delivered by mail.)


This restored and mastered file is from from the 1959 private LP created by editing together the best of two taped performances. In 2023 the score became Public Domain, and TortoiseClimbing™ had the LP digitized by SlippedDisc™. TortoiseClimbing Audio™ then:


To our knowledge, this is the only public release of this AHS choirs' performance. (It is 41 minutes long, and Lyrics are included as a Bonus.)


Stainer wrote this cantata for Church of England neighborhood parish choirs. Such choirs do not have the luxury of trained choir members, or additional supporting choirs. Given the musical constraints of neighborhood parish choirs, in order to tell the sweeping passion story, Stainer used numerous solo arias and recitatives, commonly brought in by the churches for the performances.


This recording of The Crucifixion uses a unique arrangement created by the AHS choral director,Mr. Robert Kunkle. It takes advantage of his having three choirs: two women's choirs; and a standard mixed choir. With that luxuary, he assigned most of the normally solo arias and recitatives to the womens choirs, creating a dramatically more choral sound.


Despite the limited sonic fidelity of the LP, this largely choral arrangement by the 1959 AHS choirs provides a dramatically more fulfilling choral performance than scored by Stainer of this classic Holy Week (the week before Easter) piece. The choral emotional feel of this performance is much more fulfilling than standard presentations following the score.



The distinctively different, more choral interpretation of these performances, was achieved by using 3 choirs:


Note. The sound fidelity is limited by:


-- End of window about details of Hymns and Songs --

More details about the making, both of the original recording and this mastered and restored digital file, are found at Background on Historic 1959 Performances by Annapolis High School choirs.







Hymns and Songs of My Mother (27 hymns and songs) Digital released June 2024


Vocal Version

Playlist:


Preview and order from the online Audio Marketplace product page by clicking Hymns and Songs of My Mother - Vocal Version. Both the Digital download and the CD of the vocal version are available from our online marketplace product page.


Caution!

The DEFAULT format for downloads of digital audio files is a low fidelity format, i.e., AAC or mp3. Audiophile digital formats are available for both FLAC and WAV, but you Must Explicitly select one of those autiophile formats if that is what you want to receive for your download. Do that by selecting one of the audiophile formats (FLAC or WAV) before clicking to download.


What Is This Album:


This album is almost completely nostalgic, old, traditional congregational hymns and songs (largely from Protestant Denominations).The exception is a Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) song.


(Because that song is a different genera of music, two (2) arrangements of it are offered separately as a mini-EP. See Mini-EP Welcome Home below).


This album is professionally recorded in professional sound studios, by professional:


It is a hi-definition (audiophile) recording; next to maximum length for a CD (78 minutes) of 27 nostalgic, traditional hymns and songs. It provides a fabulous window to when these hymns and songs were popular in church liturgies. This recording uses a number of different recording textures, creating a gloriously listenable, intimate collage.


It is head-and-sholders better than most albums found on YouTube of favorite old hymns. While those hymn recordings are well intentioned, the contrast of presentation and audio quality results from:


1. Hymns and Songs of My Mother was recorded using professional everything. That includes real instruments played by professionals, trained vocalists, prepared audio recording spaces, and professional recording equipment. It includes:


Vocals for all hymns and songs are post production processed by TortoiseClimbing™ to create impecable precision.


Mixing and mastering were performed by a seasoned sound engineer who has successfully created many, commercially very successful quality recordings.


Outstanding interpretations result from trained vocalists and instrumentalists.


2. In contrast, the majority of well intentioned recordings of nostalgic old hymns are amateur everything:


So, if you want vocals with interpretive feeling, audiophile fidelity (achieved by using professional everything), variations in accompaniment to include orchestra, very good real pipe organ, acoustic guitar, harp, and even handbells, with a mix of vocal arrangements including solo, duet, trio and multipart SATB (including descants), this album magnificantly fulfills your wishes.


The many variations of vocals and accompaniments used on these favorite old hymns and songs by trained vocalists and musicians provide a wonderful spectrum of flavors. Instruments used include:


This album was recorded at the request of David's mother as a tribute to David's then recently deceased father. The hymns and songs were selected jointly with his mother from their favorites. (A young organist who saw the titles, described them as old chestnuts that all good organists are familiar with.)


The performances on this album shine! Their quality of interpretations and audiophile fullness will enrich your life with many hours of repeatedly playing and reflecting on the comfort and greatness these great performances of these old hymns and songs provide.


Access the online Audio Marketplace product page by clicking Hymns and Songs of My Mother - Vocal Version.



Hymns and Songs of My Mother

Instrumental Version

Not yet available. Details will be added when available.






Mini-EP Welcome Home (released March 2026)


Preview and purchase the digital file for download from the online Audio Marketplace product page by clicking Welcome Home.


This is a Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) song, in a folk style. It is the only CCM song included on the album Hymns and Songs of My Mother. Because CCM songs appeal to different folks than nostalgic old hymns, we made 2 different arrangements of this song available as a Mini-EP for those who prefer this style.


This song became a favorite of my mother when the author and composer, Kathy Brigman Haupt, a granddaughter of mother's sister, wrote and sang this song for the funeral of my mom's sister. The 2 arrangements of this wonderful "Folk style" CCM song are quite different:

  1. Arrangement 1 is closely modeled after the original simple version. (The original was performed solo by the composer with her acoustic guitar.) For this arrangement we slightly augmented the original version by adding:

  2. Arrangement 2 is completely new. It was developed to show off wonderful characteristics of this song as part of its inclusion on the album Hymns and Songs of My Mother. This arrangement uses:

Virtually everyone, young and old, who has heard this song describe it as very pretty and meaningful!


Thank you Kathy, first for creating it, and second for giving permission to arrange and make the 1st recording.





Coming Soon




EP Series - Nostalgic Love Songs


We are working on a number of nostalgic songs to be made available on a series of EP releases.

For this list of nostalgic songs:

We have completed:

Next step is to mix and master the songs. Working title for the initial EP is: Chattanooga Choo Choo. It will consist of 5 of the above songs, and is targeted for release late spring or summer of 2026.


Other Nostalgic Love Songs being prepared include:




Details for each of the EPs and a link to preview and purchase will be added here as each is released.







Coming Later


Three additional possible versions of Hymns and Songs of My Mother

An additional version planned is:

Release schedule for versions of this album:

  1. Vocal versions were released;
  2. Instrumental version, with no vocals (TBD). The instrumental version will be in the same order as the vocal version, with the exception that the 2 a cappella hymns ("Were You There" and "Just A Closer Walk with Thee") may be omitted.
  3. Also being considered are accompaniment versions for use as backing tracks for use by soloists and choirs in church/home. These are more tentative. Targeted for after the instrumental version is completed.

    (Is there demand for a CD format of any of these?)



Other Things Forthcoming in Audio Store - The following near-term products are planned for the Online Audio Marketplace store.




Narrations of eBook


Advance Narrations. Upon release of the eBook, History Through 27 Hymns and Songs (2024), we will begin releasing advanced narrations as we complete each chapter. The chapeters will be made available via the audio marketplace in 2 forms:





Audiobook. Upon completion of the chapter narrations (made available via the subscription series and individual chapters) the completed audiobook will be made available for purchase and download. Those who choose to subscribe to the narration series, will essentially have the audiobook (if they downloaded each chapter as completed.) We are investigating how to provide an assembled audiobook for free download to subscribers.


Upon completion of the audiobook it will then also be made available as:

  1. A bundled product with the audio album in the online Audio marketplace. [A link to bundled product page in the Audio store will be added when available.]
  2. As a separate audiobook. That will be made available via our audio marketplace, and other vendors.








Separate Publications Marketplace - (Pending, Not yet online).


The reason a separate online publications marketplace is required is because the audio marketplace requires eBook publications to be part of a bundle with audio material. Thus, to sell eBook publications as standalone products, without being bundled with an audio product, a separate online publications marketplace is required for the eBooks.

Forthcoming


eBook (NOT Yet Available)

Working title - History Through 27 Hymns and Songs. This ebook is both a companion to hymns and songs recording, and a standalone history eBook. This extensive history tells events that happened around each of the hymns and songs, thus shaping their creation. (Currently in editing.)


[This will be available both as part of a bundle with the album from the Audio store, and separately as a standalone eBook from the Publication store.]


(eBooks purchased by themselves [not bundled with an audio product], require using a separate online Publications marketplace. Links will be added below for purchase of the eBook by itself, i.e., not as part of a bundle with an audio product



Additional Information About These Projects Available On Website

For those curious about details regarding these projects, numerous pages under Recordings and Publications provide lots of background information about these TortoiseClimbing™ projects. Read at your leisure!




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