Composer: Johannes Brahms, Gottfried August Homilius, Felix Mendelssohn, Joseph Rheinberger
Performer: Kammerchor Stuttgart
Conductor: Frieder Bernius
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Carus
Catalogue: CAR83221
Release: 2008
Size: 257 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Mendelssohn: Three Psalms, Op. 78
01. Warum toben die Heiden, MWV B41
02. Mendelssohn: Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen, MWV B 53 “Psalm 91”
03. Mendelssohn: Trauergesang, Op. 116
Mendelssohn: Geistliche Männerchöre, Op. 115
04. I. Beati mortui
Mendelssohn: Three Psalms, Op. 78
05. Richte mich, Gott, MWV B46
Mendelssohn: Elijah, Op. 70
06. No. 28, Hebe deine Augen
Mendelssohn: Kirchenmusik, Op. 23
07. I. Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu Dir
08. Homilius: Da es nun Abend ward
09. Homilius: Herr, wenn Trübsal da ist
10. Homilius: Die richtig für sich gewandelt haben
11. Brahms: Ave Maria, Op. 12
12. Brahms: Warum ist das Licht gegeben? Op. 74 No. 1
Rheinberger: Mass in E-Flat Major, Op. 109 “Cantus Missae”
13. IV. Sanctus
Rheinberger: Geistliche Chöre, Op. 69
14. III. Abendlied
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Kammerchor Stuttgart, Carus is releasing this CD of selected ‘a cappella’ choral works by Mendelssohn, Homilius, Brahms and Rheinberger. Many international awards bear witness to the high quality and the worldwide recognition of this outstanding ensemble. Taken from the back catalogue of recordings made between 1988 and 2005 this sumptuous release illustrates why this choir is recognized as the very best of its type in the world.
Although it’s hard to tell from the cover, this is a compilation of music from six discs by Germany’s Kammerchor Stuttgart, under longtime conductor Frieder Bernius. It’s a good pick for those interested in this 18-member a cappella group, or in unaccompanied choral music generally; the Stuttgarters must rank among the world’s best mixed-gender adult choirs in the sheer consistency and suppleness of their vocal blend. The seven Mendelssohn psalm settings and small vocal works included here are drawn from the group’s multi-disc complete recording of Mendelssohn’s sacred music, and the works performed here are fine samples that illuminate a largely forgotten repertory and may inspire many buyers to go in search of the original recordings. Beyond Mendelssohn you get good examples of other aspects of the group’s work: music by an unfamiliar composer (Gottfried August Homilius), some favorites of the later nineteenth century by Brahms, and some black-belt pieces from the end of the century: hear the tonal consistency at a punishingly high pitch of the Sanctus from Rheinberger’s Cantus Missae, Op. 109 (track 13), and marvel. No original recording dates are given, but the recordings must span a considerable length of time; the choir has been in existence since the mid-’80s, and the Mendelssohn project alone involved 12 CDs. Given this, the remastering job is impressive; the sonic ambience is consistent and never less than clear and warm. The sole disadvantage here is that, although booklet notes — with a detailed account from Bernius himself as to how you go about molding a group like this — are given in German, English, and French, no texts are included; this is problematical especially in the case of lesser-known works like many of those recorded here.