Hymn To The Sun - Danish Works For Choir (2011)

Posted By: peotuvave

Date: May 28, 2014

Hymn to the Sun presents some of the most prominent Danish 20th- and 21st-century composers of choral music in works using a modern, variegated musical language that draws inspiration from many different genres and styles. More than anything else, this is music inspired by highly evocative texts: Poems by Hans Christian Andersen; the Psalms of the Bible, and ancient poetry worshipping the Sun.

Composer: Peter Bruun, Vagn Holmboe, Bo Holten, Jorgen Jersild, …
Conductor: Søren Kinch Hansen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Danish National Vocal Ensemble

Reviews: In case you haven’t noticed, Danish composers have produced some exceptional choral music during the last century or so, and this program is a celebration of the work of the most notable figures, from Vagn Holmboe to Bo Holten, Per Nørgård, and Poul Ruders. Peter Bruun, the youngest of the featured composers (b. 1968), is less-known, but on evidence here is worthy of the company he shares on the CD. The works are varied in subject matter—the sun, poetry by Hans Christian Andersen, and the Psalms—yet musically there is a sort of shared preference among these composers for a kind of pseudo-atonality whose frequently dissonant harmony, while never straying too far from tonal foundations, allows the composer infinitely more freedom to suspend resolution or offer only incomplete resolutions, ultimately making the conclusion that much more satisfying and powerful. And this doesn’t suggest a lack or absence of melody—these composers know how to write and incorporate first-rate melodic material into their often complex choral textures.

The Danish National Vocal Ensemble, making its first CD appearance, is made up of 18 full-time professional singers, and there’s little to fault in the technique or the vocal quality—I only noticed that at times (especially in the opening, title work) the sopranos can be too strong and thus the balance/blend is skewed; otherwise this entire production is exemplary, including the vibrant, studio-controlled sound. Strongly recommended.

Tracklisting:

1. Forårssang by Peter Bruun
Conductor: Søren Kinch Hansen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Danish National Vocal Ensemble

2. Vandring i skoven by Peter Bruun
Conductor: Søren Kinch Hansen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Danish National Vocal Ensemble

3. Solhymne by Vagn Holmboe
Conductor: Søren Kinch Hansen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Danish National Vocal Ensemble

4. Psalm 23 "Dominus regit me" by Bo Holten
Conductor: Søren Kinch Hansen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Danish National Vocal Ensemble
Written: 2005

5. Il cantico delle creature by Jorgen Jersild
Conductor: Søren Kinch Hansen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Danish National Vocal Ensemble

6. Pieces (3) for Mixed Choir with texts from the Psalms of David, Op. 74 by Herman D. Koppel
Conductor: Søren Kinch Hansen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Danish National Vocal Ensemble

7. Hans Christian Andersen Poems (2) by Per Norgård
Conductor: Søren Kinch Hansen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Danish National Vocal Ensemble

8. Motets (3) by Poul Ruders
Conductor: Søren Kinch Hansen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Danish National Vocal Ensemble

EAC

Exact Audio Copy V1.0 beta 3 from 29. August 2011

EAC extraction logfile from 10. April 2013, 13:04

Danish National Vocal Ensemble, Søren Kinch Hansen / Hymn to the Sun

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TOC of the extracted CD

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Range status and errors

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Filename J:\New Music\Hymn to the Sun\Hymn to the Sun.wav

Peak level 83.3 %
Extraction speed 4.3 X
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Test CRC 667794F1
Copy CRC 667794F1
Copy OK

No errors occurred

End of status report

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Thanks to the original releaser

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