Rias Kammerchor Wolfgang Rihm Astralis & Other Choral Works

Arvo Pärt - Triodion and Other Choral Works - Polyphony & Stephen Layton (2003) {Hyperion SACD Hybrid SACDA67375}
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© 2003 Hyperion | SACD Hybrid | SACDA67375
Classical / Contemporary Classical / Choral

A new release from Polyphony, with Stephen Layton at the helm, always brings with it an assurance of singing of the highest possible calibre. Bring together a choir of such quality and the composer responsible for some of the most beautiful, transcendent music ever written, and the resultant disc is surely what must be one of, if not the most spectacular releases of the year. New works from Arvo Pärt are invariably cherished, and this disc contains no fewer than five world premiere recordings—Dopo la vittoria, Nunc dimittis, Littlemore Tractus, My heart's in the Highlands and Salve regina. It was recorded in the presence of the enraptured composer earlier this year at the Temple Church, London. This is a disc of achingly lovely music at its most mesmeric—prepare to be stunned.

For her new double-album Sol Gabetta teams up with excellent French pianist Betrand Chamayou, with whom she plays sold out concerts in major concert halls. The album features Mendelssohn's complete works for cello and piano and new, short pieces written by famous contemporary composers Wolfgang Rihm, Heinz Holliger, Francisco Coll and Jörg Widman specifically for this album, all of which were inspired by Mendelssohn’s beautiful "Lied ohne Worte, Op. 109." The album was recorded at the famous new Philharmonie de Paris.

The disc includes one of Weckmann's finest works, the Magnificat Secundi, a score in four verses that becomes increasingly complex in the number of organ voices used. That he could also devise many 'new' sounds comes in the intriguing descending passage in the second verse of Nun freut euch Liebe. Equally fascinating is the jaunty theme that the composer puts through many twists and turns in the charming Canzon. The disc ends with the sixth verse of O Lux Reata Trinitas, one of the most imposing pieces written at that time.

Among many fine works this first volume contains two particular treasures, the first being a fabulous two-verse rendition of the chorale "Gott sey gelobet und gebenedeiet"; and the second is Weckmann's extraordinary masterpiece, the monumental extended chorale fantasy on "Es ist das Heyl uns kommen her". Each one of the seven variations is a fine piece, but by the time you get to the initially understated opening of the sixth variation you have the feeling that you are in for something special, and indeed the majestic Lutheran chorale theme is soon blossoming into the most beautiful and elaborate variations you can imagine, which you begin to wish would never cease. The work is then rounded off by a majestic statement of the original hymn tune, and so the disc ends.

The first recordings of choral masterpieces by Britten, performed by the dedicatees and newly reissued in a unique compilation.