3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Chanted Modernity, March 15, 2005
This review is from: Baltic Canticles (Audio CD)
This album, by the Versija Chamber Choir from Riga, Latvia, is a stunning collection of 20th Century liturgical music from the Baltics. Recorded in Riga's Dom cathedral, the album captures with some fidelity the sound of hearing liturgical music performed in a great space. To ears accustomed to razor sharp fidelity, this disc might sound fuzzy or slightly out of focus. The selections themselves are outstanding. A keystone is Gorecki's 'Totus Tuus', a hymn to the Virgin Mary written for the Pope's first visit to Poland, a work that creates a climbing structure that veritably explodes into an openness of veneration. Arvo Part's 'Magnificat' series is outstanding, as is Kilar's hypnotic 'Agnus Dei'. Petris Vask's 'Dona Nobis Pacem' is built upon a brooding depth very typical of his work. Schnittke's contribution, the initial track, unsurprisingly strikes the only somewhat dissonantly tonal note. A beautiful collection and a fair introduction to 20th choral music for those wary of the dissonant.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
