San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble, Revival Tonight! is a joyous celebration of the relationship between music and the spirit. SAVAE uses its robust vocal sound to shine a light on beloved American religious folksongs and hymns of the Old Regular Baptist, Primitive Baptist, Sacred Harp, and Southern Baptist traditions. In this lively recording, SAVAE members’ first-hand childhood experiences singing these songs ring a chord of authenticity and love. . . . .
MORE . . . about Revival Tonight! . . .

1. Old Time Religion
2. Amazing Grace
3. I Am Going to a City
4. Just as I Am
5. Hallelujah
6. Sweet By and By
7. Pass Me Not
8. Wayfaring Stranger
9. Present Joys
10. Shall We Gather at the River
11. Brethren
12. Wondrous Love
13. Mixtures of Joy and Sorrow
14. Near the Cross
15. Cuba (Go, Preachers, and Tell It to the World)
16. Happy Land
17. Sweet Canaan

La Noche Buena
(released October 1, 2005)

Buy La Noche Buena right now!

This Christmas recording by SAVAE weaves together Indigenous Latin American, Spanish European, and West African musical styles that came together during the early part of the colonial epoch in Nueva España. Celebrations of Christmas Eve (la Noche Buena) were spectacular events in the cathedrals of colonial Latin America, and featured new compositions inspired by the folk music of the recently converted Indigenous Americans and African slaves. The inventive use of diverse dialects, rhythms, and instrumentation made church music the bittersweet common language of New Spain. . . . MORE . . . about La Noche Buena . . .

1. Hoy es Día de Placer
2. Christus natus est
3. Serenissima una noche
4. Hanacpachap cussicuinin
5. Dame albriáia mano Anton
6. Tarara qui yo soy Anton
7. Eso rigor e repente
8. Magnificat terTii toni
9. ConcePtionem Virginis Mariae
10. Xicochi, xicochi conetzintle
11. A Siolo Flasiquiyo
12. En un portalejo pobre
13. Tleycantimo choquiliya
14. Los coflades de la estrella
15. De carámbanos el día viste
16. Convidando está la noche

Ancient Echoes
(released November 1, 2002)

SAVAE takes a bold step toward recreating ancient music of the Holy Land — including original prayers of Jesus, sung in his native Aramaic language, sacred Levitical music from Jerusalem’s Second Temple, and Essene chant from the Dead Sea Scrolls. A vibrant culture that was enriched by contact with distant lands connected along caravan routes is recaptured here, as SAVAE’s voices ring out above the driving pulse of Middle Eastern rhythms to harmonize with ancient instruments. In this musical remembrance, Judaic and Christian scripture offer the listener renewed inspiration. . . . MORE . . . about Ancient Echoes . . .

1. Ashir shirim (I Will Sing Songs to God) Women’s wedding song
2. Rannanu (Sing with Joy)
   Chant from the Dead Sea Scrolls
3. Abwoon (O Father-Mother of the Cosmos)
   The Aramaic Lord’s Prayer
4. Arabian Dance Instrumental
5. Song of Seikilos 1st century Greek song
6. Tubwayhun l’ahvday sh’lama (Blessed are the Peacemakers)
7. Sounding of the Shofar & Shema Israel (Hear, O Israel)
8. Bircath Cohenim (The Priestly Blessing)
9. Wa y’daber Elohim (And God Spoke)
   The Ten Commandments
10. Tubwayhun layleyn d’khafnin w’tseyn
    (Blessed Are Those Who Hunger & Thirst)
11. Ze Eli meode (This Is My Supreme God)
    Men’s wedding song
12. Tubwayhun l’miskeneh’eh b’ruh
    (Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit)
13. Psalm 114: B’tseth Israel
    (When Israel Came Out of Egypt)
14. Tubwayhun l’bwileh
    (Blessed Are They That Mourn)
15. Bircath Cohenim Reprise

El Milagro de Guadalupe
(released October 15, 1999) IAGOCD214

The hypnotic rhythms of Aztec drums and haunting sounds of Mesoamerican wind instruments blend with the seven voices of SAVAE in this companion recording to the bestselling “Guadalupe: Virgen de los Indios.”The music, dating from the mid-16th century, reflects the unprecedented evangelization that occurred as a result of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to the Nahua Indian Juan Diego in 1531. Many of the pieces, transcribed from original cathedral manuscripts discovered in the 1960s, were written by native Aztec and Nahua composers, some of which have not been heard for over 400 years. The recording features the legendary “Teponazcuicatl,” which tradition says was used as a procession by the Aztecs on December 26, 1531, to convey the Virgin’s miraculous image on Juan Diego’s cloak from the Mexico City Cathedral to its home at Tepeyac. . . . MORE . . . about El Milagro de Guadalupe . . .

1. DIOS ITLAZO NANTZINE (Beloved Mother of God)
2. TEPONAZCUICATL (Procession of the Drum)
   Aztec procession announcing the miracle of Guadalupe
3. DIXIT DOMINUS (The Lord said unto my Lord)
4. JESU CHRISTO NUESTRO DIOS (Our God, Jesus Christ)
5. ESTA ES ÇENA DE AMOR LLENA (This is a supper full of love)
6. DOMINE AD ADJUVANDO (Make haste to help me, O Lord)
7. ASI ANDANDO (Thus it comes (The Virgin birth at Bethlehem)
8. EL FIEL PESO Y MEDIDA (The true weight and measure)
9. “IN ITLAQUENTZIN IUHQUIN TONATIUH” (“Her garments are like the sun)
   ...from the Nican mopohua
10. AVE MARIA (Hail Mary)
11. MAGNIFICAT (My soul magnifies the Lord)
12. TLAXICAQUI, NOXOCOYOUH, JUANTZIN (Do listen to me honorable Juan)
    Nican mopohua
13. LLEGAOS AL CONVIDO (You come to us by invitation)
14. SALVE (Hail, O Queen, Mother of mercy)
15. “XITLEHCO, NOXOCOYOUH” (“Climb up, my littlest one”)
    ...from the Nican mopohua
16. MUESTRE LA TIERRA ALEGRIA (You established the happy earth)
17. “AUH CA NIMAN” (“And at that moment”)
    ...from the Nican mopohua

Guadalupe, Virgen de los Indios
(released August 1998) IAGOCD210

SAVAE, the San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble, blends its seven voices with the tradtional wind and percussion instruments of the Aztecs to create music that is a spellbinding fusion of Renaissance European and Native Latin Amercan cultures. The spiritually unifying message of Guadalupe has inspired millions over the 450 years since her appear ance to the Nahua Indian Juan Diego in 1531...just ten years after the conquering Spanish marched on the Aztec capital of Tenochitlan. Extensive research has gone into rec ing the music and rhythms of newly converted Christian Indians, inspired by the Virgin of Guadalupe. Many of the pieces, transcribed from original cathedral archival manuscripts, were composed by native Aztec and Nahua composers of the 16th century, some of which have not been heard for over 400 years. Travel back in time to the spiritual birth of Mexico's Hispanic culture. . . . MORE . . . about Guadalupe: Virgen de los Indios . . .

1. Abrase el reyna del cielo* / Embrace the Queen of the Heavens and of glory
   Tomás Pascual (fl.c.1595-1635) Huehuetenango, Guatemala
2. Mañanitas a la Virgen de Guadalupe
   Traditional Mexican
3. Dios es ya naçido / God is now born among us.
   Tomás Pascual
4. Aquestando tonceria* / That virgin maiden
   Tomás Pascual
5. Aufer a nobis iniquitates / Mary, take away our iniquities
   Francisco López Capillas (c. 1608-1674) Mexico City
6. Nican Mopohua (opening lines)
   Don Antonio Valeriano (c. 1549-1605) Atzcapotzalco, Mexico
7. Virgen Madre de Dios / Virgin mother of God
   Tomás Pascual
8. O Virgen Maria
   Tomás Pascual
9. Al prodigio mayor A nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
   To the greatest marvel of grace
   Manuel de Zumaya (d. 1755) Mexico City
10. De la Sagrada Maria / Forçado de amor
    Tomás Pascual
11. Juantzin, Juan Diegotzin
    Nican Mopohua excerpt
    Don Antonio Valeriano
12. Bay magalhi / Magalhi ... Two Christmas villancicos
    Tomás Pascual
13. Dulce Consuelo / De nepa tepatzin
    Traditional Mexican Alabanzas
14. Hoi nace la nueba estiella / Today, a new star appears
    Tomás Pascual
15. Tepeyacac (instrumental)
16. In il huicac cihuapille / Lady, Queen of heaven above
    Don Hernando Franco (c. 1522-1580) Mexico City
17. Y technepa sacramento Dios / Plea to the Virgin Mary
    Tomás Pascual
18. Ma Xiccaqui Nican Mopohua excerpt
    Don Antonio Valeriano

Native Angels
(released September, 1996) IAGO104

Eight voices and percussion instruments recreate spiritually and stylistically powerful music that Native American and African converts sang 400 years ago in the cathedrals of the New World. Their voices sing in intricate and harmonious European-styled polyphony, while in the background an array of authentic Native American and African percussion instruments interweave intoxicating rhythms. The music came into being when Spanish Catholic friars, as part of their religious mission, composed songs for the Native Americans and African slaves which incorporated their own melodies, rhythms, and language. The result is a unique and fascinating body of cross-cultural music, sparkling with rhythmic and melodic invention, and hauntingly beautiful.
. . . MORE . . . about Native Angels . . .

1. Hanacpachap cussicuinin (God of the upper realms)
   Juan Pérez BOCANEGRA (c. 1598-1631), Cuzco,Peru
2. ¡Oh Señora! (O Lady) Hernando FRANCO (fl. c. 1575-1585), Mexico City
3. Sã qui turo zente pleta
   Anonymous (c. 1647)
4. En un portalejo pobre (In a humble manger)
   Gaspar FERNANDES (c. 1570-1629), Puebla, Mexico
5. Dame albriçia mano Anton (Give me greetings)
   Juan Gutiérrez de PADILLA (c. 1590-1664), Puebla, Mexico
6. Xicochi xicochi conetzintle (Lullaby)
   Juan Gutiérrez de PADILLA
7. Eso rigor e repente (This difficult and hard life)
   Juan Gutiérrez de PADILLA
8. A siolo Flasiquiyo
   Gaspar FERNANDES
9. Tururu farara con son
10. A la xacara xacarilla
    Spanish jacara dance Juan Gutiérrez de PADILLA
11. Oy es dia de placer (This is a blessed day)
    Tomás PASCUAL (c. 1600), Huehuetenango, Guatemala
12. Tleycantimo choquiliya
    Gaspar FERNANDES
13. Convidando esta la noche (Gathering in this night)
    Juan García de ZÉSPEDES (c. 1620-1678), Puebla, Mexico
14. Si tanta gloria se da / Victoria victoria
    (Such glory has been given us) Tomás PASCUAL, Huehuetenango, Guatemala
15. Magnificat sexti toni
    Cristóbal de BELSAYAGA (fl. 1580-1620), Cuzco & Lima, Peru
16. Las estreyas se rien (The stars are shining)
    Juan Gutiérrez de PADILLA