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Cover: Jean Sibelius – Complete Works for Mixed Choir

Jean Sibelius

Complete Works for Mixed Choir

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir
Heikki Seppänen, conductor
Jenny Carlstedt, mezzo soprano
Tuomas Katajala, tenot
Arttu Kataja, baritone
Folke Gräsbeck, harmonium and piano

ODE 1260-2D · 2 CDs · March 2015

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Track listing

58 tracks · 99:15

Listen to samples on selected tracks.

CD 1

Jean Sibelius

  1. 1 Rakastava (The Lover), JS 160c (1893/1898) 6:24
  2. 2 Sortunut ääni (The Voice Now Stilled), Op. 18 No. 1 1:23
  3. 3 Venematka (The Journey by Boat), Op. 18 No. 3 1:44
  4. 4 Saarella palaa (Fire on the Island), Op. 18 No. 4 1:13
  5. 5 Sydämeni laulu (Glade of Tuoni), Op. 18 No. 6 2:55
  6. 6 Min rastas raataa (Where the Thrush Toils), JS 129 1:10
  7. Carminalia, JS 51c (1898)
  8. 7 I Ecce novum gaudium (Behold a New Joy), Version a cappella 0:48
  9. 8 II Angelus emittitur (An Angel is Sent Out) , Version a cappella 0:28
  10. 9 III In stadio laboris (In Athletic Strife), Version a cappella 0:37
  11. 10 I Ecce novum gaudium (Behold a New Joy) , Version with Harmonium 0:54
  12. 11 II Angelus emittitur (An Angel is Sent Out), Version with harmonium 0:28
  13. 12 III In stadio laboris (In Athletic Strife), Version with harmonium 0:38
  14. 13 I Ecce novum gaudium (Behold a New Joy), Version with piano 0:51
  15. 14 II Angelus emittitur (An Angel is Sent Out), Version with piano 0:30
  16. 15 III In stadio laboris (In Athletic Strife) Version with piano 0:40
  17. 16 Kotikaipaus (Homesickness), JS 111 1:16
  18. 17 Isänmaalle (To the Fatherland), JS 98a 2:05
  19. 18 Hur blekt är allt (So Faded Everything Is), JS 96 0:27
  20. 19 När sig våren åter föder (When Spring is Born Again), JS 139 0:30
  21. 20 Tanke, se hur fågeln svingar (Thought, See how the Bird Swoops), JS 191 1:09
  22. 21 Ensam i dunkla skogarnas famn (Alone in the Dark Forest?s Clasp), JS 72 2:13
  23. 22 Ack hör du fröken Gyllenborg (Ah! Listen, Miss Gyllenborg), JS 10 0:29
  24. 23 Työkansan marssi (The March of the Labourers), JS 212 2:15
  25. 24 Soitapas sorea neito (Play Pretty Maiden), JS 176 (1893?94) 1:17
  26. 25 Juhlamarssi (Festive March), JS 105 (1894/1896) 2:52
  27. 26 Aamusumussa (In the Morning Mist), JS 9a 1:44
  28. 27 Uusmaalaisten laulu (The Song of the Men of Uusimaa), JS 214a 2:29
  29. 28 Kallion kirkon kellosävel (The Bells of Kallio Church), Op. 65b 2:20
  30. 29 Drömmarna (Dreams), JS 64 1:28
  31. 30 Män från slätten och havet (Men from Plain and Sea), Op. 65a 5:38

CD 2

Jean Sibelius

  1. Lauluja sekakuorolle 1897 vuoden promootiokantaatista (Songs for Mixed Choir from the 1897 Promotion Cantata), Op. 23 (c. 1897?1898)
  2. 1 I Me nuoriso Suomen (The Journey Continues) 2:31
  3. 2 II Tuuli tuudittele (Wind, Cosset our Boat) 2:09
  4. 3 III Oi toivo, toivo, sa lietomieli (Hope, that State which so Consoles Me) 1:10
  5. 4 IV Montapa elon merellä (Many Pitfalls Await us on Life?s Road) 0:53
  6. 5 V Jalo toimi ja korkea tieto on vaan (Noble Deeds and Wisdom) 1:56
  7. 6 VIa Soi kiitokseksi Luojan (Let our Sweet Song of Thanks) 1:26
  8. 7 VIb Tuule, tuuli leppeämmin (Blow Softer Now, Breeze) 2:36
  9. 8 VII Oi Lempi, sun valtas ääretön on (O Love, you Genial Child of God) 2:12
  10. 9 VIII Kuin virta vuolas (Like a Surging Stream) 2:24
  11. 10 IX Oi, kallis Suomi, äiti verraton (Precious Finland) 1:19
  12. 11 Den 25 Oktober 1902 (October 25th 1902) [1], JS 60 2:08
  13. 12 Den 25 Oktober 1902 (October 25th 1902) [2], JS 61 2:10
  14. 13 Ej med klagan (Not with Laments), JS 69 1:07
  15. 14 Kansakoululaisten marssi (March of the Primary School Children), JS 103 1:40
  16. 15 Kantat (Cantata), JS 107 2:53
  17. 16 Nejden andas (The Landscape Breathes), from Op. 30 0:31
  18. 17 Terve Ruhtinatar (Hail, O Princess), from Cantata JS 104 0:50
  19. Three Songs for American Schools, JS 199
  20. 18 The Sun Upon the Lake is Low 0:45
  21. 19 A Cavalry Catch 0:49
  22. 20 Autumn Song 0:43
  23. 21 Koulutie (The Way to School), JS 112 4:36
  24. 22 Skolsång (School Song), JS 172 0:45
  25. 23 Den höga himlen och den vida jorden (The Lofty Heav?n), JS 58a 2:34
  26. 24 On lapsonen syntynyt meille (A Child is Born Unto Us), JS 142 2:21
  27. 25 Joululaulu [En etsi valtaa, loistoa] (A Christmas Song), Op. 1 No. 4 2:13
  28. 26 On hanget korkeat nietokset (High are the Snowdrifts), Op. 1 No. 5 1:48
  29. 27 Finlandia Hymn in F major (from Op. 26) 2:00
  30. 28 Finlandia Hymn in A flat major (from Op. 26) 1:51

About this recording

Year 2015 is marked by the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Jean Sibelius (1865-1957), often titled as "Finland's national composer". The fourth album on Ondine by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir is dedicated to the complete works for mixed choir by Jean Sibelius. The award-winning choir, one of the finest of its kind internationally, is conducted here by one of the leading Finnish choir directors, Heikki Seppänen who has conducted a large number of professional choirs in Finland and abroad.

Jean Sibelius is perhaps best known for his seven symphonies and numerous orchestral works. Yet his extensive output also includes much besides orchestral music. Choral music was a genre in which Sibelius showed an interest throughout his active career and even beyond: he wrote his first choral songs while studying composition in the late 1880s and his last choral setting - an arrangement for children's choir of his favourite Christmas song - at the age of 89 in 1954.

This recording includes Sibelius' complete oeuvre for the Mixed Choir. It includes patriotic works, works closely connected to the Finnish national epic Kalevala, student works, Christmas songs, works based on lyrics by different Finnish poets, works written for school (including Three Songs for American Schools) as well as works written for academic promotions, inauguration ceremonies and different official occasions. It also includes two versions of the famous Finlandia Hymn.

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir's releases on Ondine have been a critical success: the first release was given an ‘Editor's Choice' by the Gramophone Magazine and ‘Disc of the Year' by the renowned German weekly DIE ZEIT.

Features

Sleeve notes in English and Finnish
Lyrics in original language an English translations
A slim box double CD in a slip case with landscape booklet.

The artists

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir is one of the best-known Estonian music ensembles, performing all around the world. The choir’s repertoire extends from baroque to the music of the 21st century, with a special focus on the Estonian composers, such as Arvo Pärt, Veljo Tormis and others. The choir has two Grammy Awards, 16 Grammy nominations, Gramophone Award, Diapason d’Or, and Prix Caecilia, among others. BBC Music Magazine and Classic FM have both named the EPCC as one of the 10 best choirs in the world.

Full biography

Jenny Carlstedt

Finland-Swedish mezzosoprano Jenny Carlstedt was born in the Åland Islands. She studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and with Rudolf Piernay at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She was an ensemble member with Oper Frankfurt from 2002 to 2016, where she appeared

Full biography

Tuomas Katajala

Tuomas Katajala is one of the most versatile and sought after Scandinavian tenors and makes remarkable career equally in the opera, oratorio, concert and lied genres. In autumn 2017 Katajala made his house debut at Royal Opera House Covent Garden as Tamino. In the season 2017–18 he sang, among others, Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Komische Oper Berlin, Cosi fan tutte at the Seattle Opera and Der Fliegende Holländer in Helsinki as well as in a concertante performance with the Accademia Nationale di Santa Cecilia and under the baton of Mikko Franck in Rome and also Tamino´s role at Berlin Staatsoper Unter den Linden.

Full biography

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