Search - Alfred Schnittke, Tonu Kaljuste, Swedish Radio Choir :: Psalms of Repentance

Stark beauty of voices, humility and repentance

R. Hutchinson | a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds | 12/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"PSALMS OF REPENTANCE is a stunningly beautiful 1996 recording of the Swedish Radio Choir, conducted by Tonu Kaljuste, singing the compositions of Alfred Schnittke and a late 16th century Orthodox text. Schnittke, whose father was Jewish, converted to his mother's Catholicism in 1982, but he mainly used the Russian Orthodox tradition in his sacred music. The premiere performance in Moscow with Valery Polyansky conducting, on the second day of Christmas 1988, marked the 1000th anniversary of the Christianization of Russia.



PSALMS adheres "...closely to the melodic and rhythmic patterns of Russian liturgical chant, with its predominantly syllabic, declamatory rhythms and its characteristic melodic line dominated by half-tone and whole-tone steps oscillating around a very narrow tonal centre." (from the liner notes by Uwe Schweikert). Though inevitably reflecting Schnittke's complex influences (sounding like Ligeti from time to time!), the PSALMS are simpler and more traditional than the CHOIR CONCERTO of 1984/5, which was more clearly an example of polystylism. The stark black and white ECM packaging is typically elegant and appropriate.



We all have reason to repent, some more than others... This music is most relevant at this darkest time of year, the time of the Solstice, the time of Christmas.



"...and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who have trespassed against us,"



AMEN.



For more Schnittke recordings and reviews, see my SCHNITTKE: A LISTENER'S GUIDE list. I consider Schnittke to be one of THE 12 BEST COMPOSERS OF THE LATE 20th CENTURY -- see my list by that name as well."

Transportation to a World Beyond this World

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 03/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Though the works of composer Alfred Schnittke have not withstood the critics of the other mid to late 20th Century composers such as Part, Glass, Ades, Salonen, Adams, Lindberg etc, returning to works such as this very fine recording of the PSALMS OF REPENTANCE for Mixed Acapella Choir brings renewed value to his output. This work is wholly beautiful in its mood and the subtle variations of the vocal line. Thoroughly grounded in tonality does not mean that Schnittke does not take excursions into dissonance or sliding timbres of the vocal line. There are very creatively challenging portions (think Ligeti, Messiaen) embedded in these twelve setting from the Psalms. His blocks of vocal sound could move mountains, so wide is their spectrum of resonating harmonies.



For sheer beauty of choral singing it is difficult to stray form the 'Russian sound' that Schnittke captures here. Not only are the lyrics sung in Russian, but the extraordinarily fine choral sound produced by the Swedish Radio Choir under the sensitive direction of Tonu Kaljuste follows not only the plainsong of the opening psalms but plumbs the depths of resonance (as in the 5th psalm) of the massed full choral sound.



If you can sit through this 51 minute cycle of psalms without feeling transported from this troubled world to another more vast and ultimately comforting one....well, maybe try listening again.... Grady Harp, March 05



"

Brilliant

R. D. Pittman | St. John's, NL Canada | 10/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Schnittke is one of my favourite composers. While many great composers have works that could be considered "commercial", including Beethoven, Brahms and many others; every piece of Schnittke's music, while never adhering to a particular style is ALWAYS meaningful and powerful.



This recording is beautifully conducted and sung by Kaljuste and the SRC, with an incredible sense of control over the choral sound through the most intense crescendi and ghostly quiet moments. In the 9th movement when the whole choir is singing homophonically at around 6:15, it is as though the world has disappeared and we are left in private company with the divine.



This piece could make an atheist believe."