Beloved Choruses (Volume Two (Favorite Choruses Of Handel, Bach-Gounod, Franck, Beethoven, Schubert, Grieg And Brahms))

Released by Columbia Masterworks in 1964, this recording represents a prominent mid-century collaboration between the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, directed by Richard P. Condie, and The Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy. Produced during a prolific period for these ensembles, the album was designed to capture a broad selection of essential sacred and classical choral works intended for a general audience. It served as a continuation of their popular 'Beloved Choruses' series, catering to a post-war public demand for high-fidelity recordings of grand-scale, accessible orchestral and choral repertoire.

The album's curation reflects the era's appreciation for monumental, symphonic choral arrangements. Columbia Masterworks utilized its label's reputation for technical excellence to market these selections, which feature works by composers ranging from J.S. Bach to Johannes Brahms. The disc was received as a standard entry in the sacred music canon of the 1960s, praised for the blending of the Choir's massive, resonant sound with the disciplined, lush textures of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and remains a notable example of the era's reverence for traditional choral programming.