Hi, Folks -

Wikipedia has reported the passing of Ward Swingle, January 19, in England, survived by his widow, three children, and three grandchildren. He was 87.

Thanks to YouTuber atyafi03, who includes:

The Swingle Singers are a mostly a cappella vocal group formed in 1962 in Paris, France with Ward Swingle, Anne Germain, Jeanette Baucomont and Jean Cussac. Christiane Legrand, the sister of composer Michel Legrand, was the lead soprano in the original French group. There are a total of eight members in the group: two sopranos, two altos, two tenors and two basses. In 1973, the original French group disbanded and Ward Swingle moved to London and re-formed the group with new members as Swingle II. They would later perform and record under the name The Swingles and then, The New Swingle Singers and eventually, simply, The Swingle Singers. Since the London group's incarnation, the group has never disbanded. Members have come and gone and the other members have re-auditioned for the voice part that has left.

From, I think, the 1991 "The Bach Album", reissued in 1994 as "Back to Bach", here are the Swingle Singers with Bach's "Sleepers Wake" (Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140).

Farewell, Mr. Swingle; thanks for all the joyfulness you provided while here.

=====

http://youtu.be/X1fQZpdWCLo

=====

--hobie