Pēteris Vasks
Pater noster · Dona nobis pacem · Missa
Latvian Radio Choir · Sinfonietta Riga · Sigvards Klava
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Valentin Silvestrov
To Thee We Sing
Sacred Choral Works
Latvian Radio Choir
Sigvards Klava, conductor
Track listing
15 tracks · 59:51Listen to samples on selected tracks.
Valentin Silvestrov
- Alleluia (2006) 8:29
- 1 I Evening 2:18
- 2 II Morning 2:41
- 3 III Night 3:30
- From Liturgical Chants
- 4 Cherubic Song 2:34
- 5 Alleluia 2:47
- 6 O Holy God 3:21
- 7 Ave Maria 3:20
- Diptych
- 8 I The Lord's Prayer 4:51
- 9 II Testament 8:58
- Two Sacred Chants
- 10 Mercy of Peace 5:03
- 11 To Thee We Sing 3:14
- Two Sacred Songs
- 12 I Alleluia 3:18
- 13 II Ave Maria 4:39
- Two Christmas Lullabies
- 14 Sleep, Jesus 3:50
- 15 Quiet Night 5:27
About this recording
Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov (b. 1937) is an important contemporary voice in vocal music. In this new release Silvestrov's hauntingly beautiful vocal works are performed by the Latvian Radio Choir under their director Sigvards Kļava.
During his artistic career Silvestrov has explored a number of musical styles and techniques, such as avant-guard, post-modernism, neo-classicism, dodecaphony, aleatoric writing and pointillism. The fall of the Soviet Union, however, allowed Silvestrov to eventually compose spiritual works, inspired and influenced by his love of the Russian Orthodox Church music which
Silvestrov imbues with his own unique sound and bursts of surprising harmonic moves. Silvestrov's compositions are invested with the composer's own unique personality, musical sensibility and sense of beauty.
Latvian Radio Choir's previous releases on Ondine have been highly successful. For instance, the recording of Rachmaninov's All-Night Vigil (ODE 1206-5) was chosen as the Record of the Month, Editor's Choice and received a nomination in the Gramophone Awards in 2013.
Press
"It has the effect of a healing balm and I cannot recommend it too highly for those who require restoration from life’s vicissitudes".
Gramophone Editor's Choise, October 2015
The artists
Latvian Radio Choir
The Latvian Radio Choir is a full-time professional chamber choir founded in 1940. Chief Conductor Sigvards Kļava and Conductor Kaspars Putniņš have led the choir since 1992. The ensemble's repertoire ranges from the Renaissance to the present day, with a primary focus on exploring the capabilities of the human voice and seeking to extend its limits. A major part of the repertoire is dedicated to contemporary music and composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. The choir is also open to creative experiments and often participates in dramatic performances and multimedia projects. The ensemble regularly commissions works from leading Latvian composers such as Pēteris Vasks and Ēriks Ešenvalds.
Sigvards Klava
Sigvards Kļava began working with the Latvian Radio Choir in 1987 and was appointed its Chief Conductor and Artistic Director in 1992. As one of Latvia's most prolific choral conductors, Sigvards Kļava has collaborated with every leading choir and orchestra in the country, performing the great works of the standard repertoire in addition to conducting most premieres of new choral works by Latvian composers. He has recorded numerous albums with the Latvian Radio Choir. Sigvards Kļava has also been Chief Conductor at a number of Latvian and Nordic song festivals. He is a co-founder of the Latvian New Music Festival ARENA and serves as a member of its artistic board. He teaches young conductors at the Choral Department of the Latvian Academy of Music and the Choral College of the Riga Lutheran Cathedral. Sigvards Kļava appears as a guest conductor with leading European choirs. He has received the Latvian Great Music Award and the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers Award.
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