… the richness of Maggio's talent is evident in Rachel…the marvelous vocal counterpoint of the fifth movement, which inspired the singers to another level, had the compositional fantasy heard in Maggio’s best works, such as Le Travail.

I'll take Robert Maggio's tasteful choral music over William McClelland's (reviewed last issue) any day. Again, it's in the American choral music tradition of Randall Thomson and Daniel Pinkham—a national blend of neoclassical and neoromantic strains. Maggio is quite the craftsman, with the traditional elements of this style: contrapuntal imitation, homophonic quartal harmonies, and tonal chords in weird combinations all contribute to a smooth, luxurious, sometimes mysterious, flow. Rachel and her Children, a mini-oratorio accompanied by a small wind ensemble, sets seven poems by mid-century writer Edna St. Vincent Millay with an amalgam of musical styles woven together in an engaging unself-conscious way. Die-hard new music enthusiasts will find Maggio's music too conservative; recommended to choral music collectors only.