Kaspars Putnins & Latvian Radio Choir - Tulev: Magnificat (2018)

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Kaspars Putnins & Latvian Radio Choir - Tulev: Magnificat (2018)

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One of the most exciting choral conductors, Kaspars Putniņš regularly appears with the Rundfunkchor Berlin, NDR Radio Choir Hamburg, RIAS Kammerchor, SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart, ChorWerk Ruhr, Flemish Radio Choir, Danish National Vocal Ensemble and Choir, Netherlands Radio Choir and Netherlands Chamber Choir. He is Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir since 2014/15 and Conductor of the Tenso Europe Chamber Choir since 2013.

Since 1994 he has been conductor of the Latvian Radio Choir.

Kaspars Putniņš had formed also the Latvian Radio Chamber Singers - an ensemble of soloists of the Latvian Radio Choir. He is constantly looking for new possibilities of presenting and performing music. Putniņš has initiated several drama projects with this ensemble in collaboration with visual and theatre artists as the Danish theatre company Hotel Pro Forma.

Whilst Kaspars Putniņš’ work encompasses a wide range of choral repertoire from the polyphony of the Renaissance period through to romantic music, his foremost goal has always been to promote new outstanding choral music. He has forged close relationships with many composers including Pēteris Vasks, Maija Einfelde, Mārtiņš Viļums, Gundega Šmite, Toivo Tulev, Gavin Bryars and Andris Dzenitis.

His discography includes recordings of Pēteris Vasks’ Mate Saule for BIS Records, Jonathan Harvey’s The Angels for Hyperion, works by Bryars, Vasks, Esenvalds, Maskats and Silvestrov, all with the Latvian Radio Choir as well as the CD New Latvian Harvest with contemporary Latvian music with the Latvian Radio Chamber Singers. He has also recorded Rachmaninov’s The Divine Liturgy of St.

John Chrysostom with the Flemish Radio Choir for Glossa. BIS Records lately released Rachmaninov Vespers with the Netherlands Chamber Choir.

Kaspars Putniņš has been awarded the Latvian Grand Prix of Music in 1998, the highest distinction given to Latvian musicians. He is the recipient of the Latvian Council of Ministers Award 2000 for Achievements in Culture and Science.

The Estonian composer Toivo Tulev has forged a unique sound world. His music, with its almost obsessive focus on religious mysticism, can be sensual and emotional but also cerebral and technically demanding. Tulev often takes inspiration from his extensive travels, in particular from the city of Istanbul which, like his vocal music, bridges East and West. His meditation on the words of Sufi mystic Mansur Al-Hallaj, I said, Who are You? – He said, You, conjures up a transcendent atmosphere, while his Magnificat departs from the text’s traditionally solemn setting with its stratospherically high string writing and wild percussion solos.

Ka Bo Chan, countertenor
Ieva Ezeriete, soprano
Inga Martinsone, soprano
Latvian Radio Choir
Tallinn Chamber Orchestra
Kaspars Putniņš, direction