Composer: Various European
Performers: Schola Heidelberg, ensemble aisthesis, directed by Walter Nußbaum
Recording: SWR Karlsruhe, 2000
Label: BIS-CD-1090 [69.55]
In an era where contemporary choral music often finds itself relegated to the sidelines of mainstream repertoire, this compelling release from Schola Heidelberg, under the direction of Walter Nußbaum, emerges as a significant contribution to the exploration of modern European choral compositions. Spanning a diverse array of styles and techniques, the album provides a meticulous survey of both established and lesser-known composers, making it an invaluable resource for both enthusiasts and scholars alike.
The collection opens with Toshio Hosokawa’s Ave Maria for mixed choir, a work characterized by its ethereal quality and innovative use of pre-recorded breathing sounds. This aural motif is effectively woven into the fabric of the piece, serving both as an invocation and a grounding element. The choir deftly navigates the arched form of the work, which begins and concludes with the triadic harmony of B-E♭-A, creating a sense of cyclical unity that complements the sacred text.
Transitioning to Giacinto Scelsi’s Tre canti sacri and TKRDG, the performance reveals the choir’s remarkable adaptability to the idiosyncratic demands of Scelsi’s microtonal explorations. In Tre canti sacri, the choir exhibits a profound sensitivity to the quarter-tone inflections and articulatory embellishments, effectively capturing the composer’s unique voice. The later work, TKRDG, which integrates guitar and percussion alongside vocal lines, showcases the ensemble’s ability to balance the intricate textures inherent in this hybrid sound world. The instrumental support enhances the vocal clarity, allowing for a rich tapestry of sound that feels both innovative and grounded.
Arnold Schönberg’s De profundis stands as a highlight of the recording, with its poignant setting of Psalm 130 demonstrating the composer’s mastery of the twelve-tone technique. The performance captures the duality of sung and spoken elements, allowing the emotional weight of the text to resonate. The use of thirds and tritones creates a fluidity that underscores the text’s themes of despair and redemption. Here, the choir’s precision in navigating the complex intervals is commendable, effectively conveying the work’s profound spiritual depth.
In juxtaposition, René Leibowitz’s two settings offer a less familiar yet equally compelling exploration of Blake’s poetry. While the English may not achieve perfect idiomatic fluency, the choral interpretation carries an urgency that renders the text’s inherent drama palpable. Cornelius Schwehr’s deutsche tänze, with its unsettling wordless narrative, evokes the somber historical context of Nazi oppression. The choir delivers the piece with an unsettling starkness, emphasizing the macabre nature of the subject matter without resorting to sentimentality.
The recording also features György Ligeti’s Lux aeterna, a seminal work in the choral canon that employs micropolyphony and cluster harmony to evoke a sense of luminous transcendence. The choir’s ability to blend with such precision is particularly noteworthy, as they navigate the dense textures while maintaining clarity of individual lines. Similarly, Iannis Xenakis’s Nuits introduces a striking array of newly invented sounds, and the ensemble’s execution reveals an impressive fluency in the avant-garde idiom.
Webern’s contributions, Drei Lieder and Zwei Lieder, offer a refreshing tonal respite amidst the predominantly a cappella selections. The ensemble’s adept handling of Webern’s angular vocal lines, particularly in the accompaniment of clarinet and guitar, illuminates the intricate interplay of sound that characterizes his work. Notably, solo soprano Anja Tilch’s placement within the mix, while slightly subdued against the instrumental backdrop, does not detract significantly from the overall effect.
The recording quality is exemplary, capturing the choir’s nuanced dynamics and the spatial intricacies of the soundscape. The full documentation, including translations of the texts, ensures that listeners are equipped to engage meaningfully with the music.
In conclusion, this CD offers a rich tapestry of modern European choral music that is both intellectually stimulating and artistically rewarding. Schola Heidelberg, under Walter Nußbaum’s insightful direction, demonstrates an impressive command of a diverse repertoire, making this recording a vital resource for those seeking to deepen their understanding of contemporary choral literature. As an entry point into this often-overlooked repertoire, it invites listeners to reconsider the role of choral music in the broader context of 20th-century composition, marking a significant contribution to the ongoing dialogue surrounding the evolution of choral sound.
