Renaissance Man - Philip Brunelle And Music

Dan Dressen’s is typically the first voice you hear on the Renaissance Man podcast. His tenor opens the excerpt of “Quartet Of Swedes” from Benjamin Britten’s opera Paul Bunyan, recorded on Virgin Classics, conducted by Philip Brunelle. In this episode, the two long-time collaborators discuss why, as Dan puts it, “choirs are the perfect example of the whole being greater than the sum of their parts.” 

 After reviewing Dan’s history leading to their first collaboration, the two discuss the business of choral rehearsing, the science and art of “choral blend,” why pronunciation matters most, the fortunate end of the maestro era, the benefits and challenges of listening, and why, “singing is such a psychological game. ” We end with a synopsis of friendship. Given over 40 years of personal and professional relations, Dan and Philip share a few lessons in how two people come to understand, respect and build a lasting connection. We recorded this in the Parlor of Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis,