Excerpts from reviews of de Profundis concerts

 

Albuquerque Journal Online
November 29, 2005
By D. S. Crafts

The Christmas season has officially begun, and the first out of the gate with its holiday concert is Albuquerque's a cappella men's ensemble de Profundis. Titled "Awed by the Beauty," the program draws from traditions ranging far and wide, beginning with a Quechuan (Peruvian native) language text and finishing off with a set of traditional carols and spirituals. Led by David Poole, the 14-voice choir takes a group of strong individual voices and combines them into a sonorous blend, equally matched from top to bottom. In Sunday's concert, the group gave energetic and elegant demonstration of whispery pianissimos up to full-voiced outbursts, harmoniously filling the cathedral ceiling of the St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church.

Albuquerque Journal
April 2005
By D. S. Crafts

The genre known as "song without words" occupies a small but rich place in classical literature. But as a recital on Sunday afternoon by the de Profundis men's choir aptly demonstrated, the form is by no means limited to classical music nor to any particular place in the world.
The first half of the programtitle "Mouth Music" exhibite a rich variety of choral works sung to syllables with no specific meaning.
Beginning with two Georgian (Russian) folk melodies, the group immediately established its rich blend of voices, solidly represented from top to bottom.
There also were composed works exploiting the lack of a specific text, most impressively a work from Finland with the intriguing title "Pseudo-Yoik" written by Jaako Mantjarvi. A rousing, boisterous piece sung with particular gusto and rhythmic precision, it has been described by the composer "as an impression of a stereotype that most Finns associate with Lapland and its people."
de Profundis was joined by the 2005 High School FOR MEN ONLY ensemble for a set of American and English folk songs.

Albuquerque Journal
December 2002
By Joanne Sheehy Hoover

Sunday afternoon at St. Michael and All Angels Church the dozen male voices of de Profundis set the air ringing with selections related to Hanukkah and Christmas. Their director, David Poole, has a flair for programming, and the colorful holiday mix was one of his best efforts.
With the brief, joyful call of a trumpet as an opener, the singers traveled among various traditions, including western and eastern Christianity and that of the Ashkenazim, or European, Jewry. They moved about the centuries and glided around the globe as well, speaking in a variety of languages, from Middle English to archaic Spanish to Latin and Latvian and Chinese.
The program also offered various moods, sometimes playful, sometimes deeply spiritual, with many points in between. It shifted musical gears frequently in a spectrum of styles that ranged from the simplicity of pure unison chants to the richness of late Romantic harmonies.
Immediately clear and repeatedly affirmed was the distance de Profundis has traveled under founder/director Poole, who has worked steadily to refine sound and balance. This afternoon's program found the group projecting as an expressive whole that was richer than the sum of its parts. Reaping the rewards of Poole's vision and their own work, the ensemble's singing displayed a new ease and assurance.

Albuquerque Journal
December 2001
By Joanne Sheehy Hoover

The performance, which opened de Profundis's eighth season, pointed up the group's continuing evolution toward ever more refined and defined singing under the skilled leadership of its director and founder, David Poole. Most striking on this afternoon was the newly gained technical confidence of the singers. A self-conscious focus on the how, a necessary stage if a group aims for excellence, is clearly giving way to another, freer level of expression. Not that any musician, particularly a singer, whose instrument is his body, can ever neglect technique, but there was an ease on this afternoon born of more technical assurance as ensemble.
The ease was immediately evident in the purity of sound and unity of diction in an opening set of plainsongs, or chants, for the first Sunday of Advent. This seemingly simple unison singing challenges because it is so exposed and, to be effective, needs to come across as an even, natural flow. Disciplined, supple, the men let the phrases unfold like a spontaneous expression of the heart.

Albuquerque Journal 

December 2000

By Joanne Sheehy Hoover

Comfortable with each other and confident of their sound, the a cappella men's group de Profundis delivered a satisfying program Sunday afternoon to a large audience at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church.
Now 7 years old, the group has steadily grown under its director and founder, David Poole. From the first Poole's ideas about the group seemed clear. He sought refinement of sound in a tasteful repertoire with a strong spiritual undercurrent.
Sunday's concert revealed just how far de Profundis has traveled. In the first years Poole held the reins tightly, working to polish the sound, to develop smoothness and unity in projection. The singers were conscious of technique, carefully trying to produce what Poole wanted. Programs were interesting in repertoire choice and pleasing, even if somewhat restrained.
In this concert, title "Mourning into Dancing," the ensemble stepped up to a different level. They found another dimension where time seemed to open up. More relaxed, they sang with a new freedom. Though still conscious of technique as singers must be, it was no longer the major focus. They have settled in as an ensemble and can now pay more attention to the expressive side.
The first half (of the concert) was devoted to the mournful side. The second half turned to the more vital, dancing side, leading off with de Profundis's first commission, a stunning arrangement of "Come, Everyone that Thirsteth." It was created by former UNM professor Scott Wilkinson, who was on hand to acknowledge the enthusiastic applause for his effort.

Arts Alive! And Well 

December 2000

By John Seagrave

The distinguished 12-singer male chorus directed by David Poole presented their winter concert at the Santa Fe Santuario and also introduced their first CD. The latter is a splendid achievement, featuring familiar works as Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal, Shenandoh, Skye Boat Song, Du Liegst Mir in Herz, and Loch Lomond in attractive settings, as well as 13 other fine pieces.
The present concert, titled "Mourning into Dancing," offered 18 numbers, the first half quite somber, and the second half relatively joyful.
Mr. Poole is to be congratulated for finding and developing this material, and for training this superb group.

Something wonderful is happening with de Profundis. Sunday's concert at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church made clear that this 13-voice a cappella men's group is steadily and surely realizing its dream.
From the first notes of the opening "Back to Ethiopia," the group sang with a distinctive sound. This poignant song of homesickness -- "Africa is our father's home, oh, yes" -- was rendered in rich, resonant tones with finely shaded phrasing and pointed diction.
As the program went on the ingredients of David Poole's direction came clearly into focus. Under his guidance the de Profundis singers are becoming a finely tuned instrument. He knows how to make the most of these voices, which range in quality from capable to quite good. In his hands their hum becomes far greater than their individual parts.
Their sound, like their stance, is open and free. It is used by Poole with restraint and refinement to shape expressive, flexible lines. 
He possesses a subtle sensibility which reaches for depth of expression rather than vocal display. He also seems able to generate a confidence that encourages the men to open up emotionally.
 

At Loretto Chapel on November 16th (1997), de Profundis ("Out of the Depths"), an Albuquerque a cappella men's chorus of 12 members sang most impressively, in appealing repertoire and an interesting and thoughtful program. 
There was much beauty, with lush warmth and fine control. The blend was exemplary at all times, as were the dynamics. At no time was there any pushed or forced, extraneous tone. 
The group, under expert direction of David Poole, is only a few years old. Their taste and professionalism is impeccable. Their tone quality is uncannily exquisite, very special for a men's group. Their refinement was unearthly, as was their intonation. The angels were definitely on hand. This absolutely first-rate ensemble is giving other leading New Mexico choruses some stiff competition.

Albuquerque Journal 
November 1996 
By Joanne Sheehy Hoover

Albuquerque is blessed with a large community of musicians. Miraculously, its numbers grow, despite the economic hazards and a public often more interested in balloons than Bach or Brahms. 
DeProfundis, a group of 12 men singing without accompaniment, joined the scene in 1994. Friday night at St. Mark's on the Mesa Episcopal Church, this fledgling showed that it has grown some finely colored feathers.
In our times, the male voice too often is connected with raw authority, aggression or violence. To hear it used with gentle finesse sets off deep resonances in the listener. We are called back to images of the male as a source of strength and comfort and protection.
Director David Poole chose a program rich in spiritual content. Titled Psalms, Prayers and Prophecies, it ranged the centuries, from the Renaissance to the present. In its purity and consistent quality, it reflected Poole's highly refined musical ambitions.
Poole certainly made every effort to introduce variety in content and color. He opened the program with a surprise. Expecting an unaccompanied group on the floor before them, the audience found the singers in the choir loft, accompanied by surging runs on the organ. ...The choirsters then made their way down from the loft to the front of the church. ...Hearing the men's voices slowly unfolding and expanding, the listener became acutely aware of the thrilling distinctiveness of the all-male sound.
(DeProfundis') sound, as created by Poole and his talented singers, is marked by subtlety and elegance. At its best, it possesses a radiant spirituality and a virile purity that touch the listener deep within.
Diction is crystal-clear, the ensemble precise and the sound finely balanced.... The group has a strong pitch sense.