Baltic Exchange
Ugis PRAULIŅŠ (b.1957)
Missa Rigensis (2002) [29:01]
Laudibus in Sanctis (2008) [10:30]
Maija EINFELD (b.1939)
Cikls ar Friča Bārdas dzeju (2003) [12:35]
Urmas SISASK (b.1960)
Benedictio (1991) [5:51]
Vytautas MIŠKINIS (b.1954)
Angelis suis Deus (2006) [3:06]
Pater Noster (1999) [6:36]
The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge/Stephen Layton
rec. Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral, 4-6 August 2008
Texts and translations included
HYPERION CDA67747 [67:43]
Baltic Exchange is an apt title for a selection of choral works by
four Baltic composers sung by a British choir and recorded by a British label.
I must straightaway admit that all but one of these composers are completely
new to me.
As can be seen in the above details, Latvian-born Prauliņš has the
lion’s share in this generous cross-section. His large-scale and substantial
Missa Rigensis composed for the Riga Dom Boys’ Choir has
pride of place and launches proceedings in the grandest possible manner. This
is a setting of the so-called ordinary mass albeit capped by a Post-Communion.
The music presents a remarkably successful synthesis of age-old choral tradition
as represented by the big polyphonic masses composed in Italy and of some
more modern rhythmic and formal devices. The Kyrie has a timeless character
that strongly contrasts with the burst of energy at the opening of the ensuing
Gloria which, with the Credo, is by far the most developed movement. As might
be expected the music is full of often striking contrasts and often hovers
between moments of peaceful meditation and other of exultation. The final
Agnus Dei is capped by a Post-Communion “where long-breathed vocalise
underpins an ad lib spoken prayer”. This is simple but quite
effective. The Mass ends in utter peacefulness. There is much nicely judged
choral writing that helps create a vast choral fresco of great expressive
strength. Specially written for this recording and dedicated to Stephen Layton,
Prauliņš’ Laudibus in sanctis is a short cantata
setting words adapted after Psalm 150. This is a celebratory work opening
with a great choral outburst. Afterwards, as the music progresses, the voices
suggest the instruments mentioned in the words of Psalm 150 (warlike trumpet,
Pierian lyre, resounding timbrels, lofty organs and the like) always with
refined musical means and without ever sounding bluntly descriptive.
Maija Einfeld’s Cikls ar Friča Bārdas dzeju
(“A cycle of Fricis Bārda poems”) is the only profane work
in this selection of Baltic choral music. Three beautiful settings of short
poems of romantic and naturalistic character. The words are quite beautiful,
at least judging from the translations. The music is somewhat more stringent
in these settings than in any other work recorded here. It is also mildly
dissonant but effective in its forthrightness, painting musical landscapes
in “grey, green, brown and the colour of the sun” (Gabriel Jackson).
This short cycle is one of the little gems here.
The other is Sisask’s Benedictio, a simple setting of
the ordinary Post-Communion blessing in an almost ritualistic manner with
repetition of rhythmic gestures underpinning some brief flights of song. This
inventive and attractive short work is (to quote Gabriel Jackson again) “a
vividly re-imagining of primordial runic song”.
The fourth composer represented here is Lithuanian-born Vytautas Miškinis
whose Angelis suis Deus was written as a fortieth birthday present
for Stephen Layton. This is another nicely imagined miniature, fairly simple
and straightforward. His Pater Noster, too, is a quite inventive
piece of music in which repetition plays a great part. Female voices intone
a repeated phrase in pulsing chords to the words “Pater noster, qui
es in coelis”. Male voices enter unsynchronised adding still more urgency
to the prayer of the female voices. All voices then repeat the introduction
with mounting intensity until reaching a climax abruptly cut short. The opening
pattern is now resumed but to the words “sed libera nos a malo”
and a lone soprano eventually voices repeated Amens.
Stephen Layton conducts vital and immaculate performances. These works must
be quite taxing and they’re not always as simple or as straightforward
as they may sound. The singing is a pure joy from first to last. The recording
lends an appropriately reverberant aura to the music. This splendid release
perfectly complements Hyperion’s disc devoted to Dubra’s choral
music, enthusiastically reviewed here a few months ago (“Hail, Queen
of Heaven” - CDA67790). This disc will appeal strongly to all lovers
of imaginative choral music, but others - I am sure - will find much to relish.
Hubert Culot