The Swingle Singers

Swingle Singers是1963年由美國鋼琴家及作曲家Ward Swingle成立的合唱團體，自從成軍以來已獲得五座葛萊美獎，是Acappella（無伴奏清唱）這種音樂類型的長青團體，音樂風格囊括古典、爵士、民謠、流行等等，在六○年代深獲大眾歡迎，成為許多后繼合唱團體模仿的對象。Swingle Singers的拿手好戲，便是將原本只用來演奏的器樂曲目，如“大黃蜂的飛行”、“一八一二序曲”、“G弦之歌”等等，改編成純?nèi)寺暤暮铣?，以多層次的嗓音模擬出整個交響樂團般的音效，甚至可以用女中音表現(xiàn)出薩克斯風的音色，用男低音代替原本屬于大提琴的聲部，將人聲的表現(xiàn)力發(fā)揮到淋漓盡致的地步，使樂迷聽得大呼過癮之余，不得不贊嘆“人聲才是最好的樂器”。因此，Swingle Singers多年來除了致力于演唱技巧的開拓，更不斷嘗試在各種類型的音樂中挖掘更多的可能性，現(xiàn)代作曲家Berio和義大利作曲家Azio Corghi都曾經(jīng)特地為Swingle Singers量身打造譜寫歌劇。在歐洲舉辦的國際重唱大賽，為了向Swingle Singers的創(chuàng)辦人Ward Swingle致敬，更設(shè)立了以他為名的獎項，作為人聲合唱領(lǐng)域的最高榮譽，足見Swingle Singers這個團體無可取代的地位。 Swingle Singers 在歷史上分為2個階段，1963-1973稱為法國組合，1973年法國組合解散，同年Ward Swingle在英國重組Swingle Singers，一直沿襲至今稱為英國組合。
by John Bush
A French vocal group famed for tackling all manner of classical material (baroque, fugues, madrigals, orchestral overtures) and switching them to an a cappella swing setting, the Swingle Singers was formed in Paris during the early '60s by American expatriate Ward Swingle. By the time of their 1963 album debut, the group comprised eight voices -- Swingle, Christiane Legrand (sister of Michel), Jean-Claude Briodin, Anne Germain, Claude Germaine, Jean Cussac, Claudine Meunier and Jeanette Baucomont. That album, Jazz Sebastian Bach (titled Bach's Greatest Hits in America), earned the group a Grammy award and almost made the Top Ten.
The novelty inherent in an eight-voice scatting choir resulted in dozens of television and radio appearances around the world during the mid-'60s. Somehow the group also managed to record follow-up LPs Going Baroque in 1964 and Anyone for Mozart? one year later. Both were Grammy winners as well -- though Best Performance by a Chorus definitely wasn't the most competitive category at the awards ceremony. In an era when vocal choruses increasingly slipped down the easy-listening slope however, the Swingle Singers moved in precisely the opposite direction. In 1969, a subsidiary group called Swingles II premiered Sinfonia, a composition by the avant-garde composer Lucianio Berio that also utilized the New York Philharmonic.
After a move to England in 1973, Ward Swingle recruited a new Swingle Singers and changed musical direction, incorporating material from the avant-garde as well as the Renaissance era and jazz. Swingle himself retired from active performance in 1984, but continued on as music director. The group continued to tour the world into the '90s, performing operas by Azio Corghi and Berio, appearing in compositions with ballet companies, and holding various classes and workshops as well.