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This album is a collection of recordings made in Riga between 2007 and 2020 by the stunning Latvian Radio Choir, conducted by Sigvards Kļava. Choral music isn’t something that comes to mind when you think of John Cage, who only strictly speaking left behind two compositions for such a formation. He persistent rejection of harmony within his music is a probable explanation for his lack of contribution to choral production.
Only Hymns and Variations (1979) and Four2 et Four6 (1990-92) are specifically written for choir, whilst the other pieces on this album are derived from pieces originally written for other formations. It was only at the age of 67 that Cage tried his hand at choral singing. Of course, he did so in an inventive manner, putting his own spin on traditional pieces by completely overhauling them. He didn’t hesitate to delete or extend certain notes. It was as if he sought to measure the distance between the eighteenth century he adopted as his model, and the sensibility of the late twentieth century.
About ten years later, the American composer started composing his “numbered pieces” (the numbers referred to the number of performers). Cage leaves it up to the Latvian Radio Choir to choose the 12 sounds in the final work on the album, Four6. Using a bit of creative license, they juxtapose animal and nature sounds against a static sonic background, mimicking the flexible chronology originally intended by the composer. © François Hudry/Qobuz
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Five (John Cage)
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
Hymns & Variations (John Cage)
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
Four2 (John Cage)
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
Four6 (John Cage)
John Cage, Composer - Sigvards Klava, Conductor, MainArtist - Latvian Radio Choir, Choir, MainArtist
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
Album review
This album is a collection of recordings made in Riga between 2007 and 2020 by the stunning Latvian Radio Choir, conducted by Sigvards Kļava. Choral music isn’t something that comes to mind when you think of John Cage, who only strictly speaking left behind two compositions for such a formation. He persistent rejection of harmony within his music is a probable explanation for his lack of contribution to choral production.
Only Hymns and Variations (1979) and Four2 et Four6 (1990-92) are specifically written for choir, whilst the other pieces on this album are derived from pieces originally written for other formations. It was only at the age of 67 that Cage tried his hand at choral singing. Of course, he did so in an inventive manner, putting his own spin on traditional pieces by completely overhauling them. He didn’t hesitate to delete or extend certain notes. It was as if he sought to measure the distance between the eighteenth century he adopted as his model, and the sensibility of the late twentieth century.
About ten years later, the American composer started composing his “numbered pieces” (the numbers referred to the number of performers). Cage leaves it up to the Latvian Radio Choir to choose the 12 sounds in the final work on the album, Four6. Using a bit of creative license, they juxtapose animal and nature sounds against a static sonic background, mimicking the flexible chronology originally intended by the composer. © François Hudry/Qobuz
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 15 track(s)
- Total length: 01:06:20
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Latvian Radio Choir Sigvards Kļava
- Composer: John Cage
- Label: Ondine
- Genre: Classical Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) Choral Music (Choirs)
(C) 2022 Ondine (P) 2022 Ondine
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