Dawn Is Breaking: Choral Music from Latvia

Album review

Kamer... is a youth choir, but you'd never guess that by listening; the members sing with all the sophistication and maturity of the finest international vocal ensembles, performing works of daunting technical and musical demands. The repertoire recorded here, all by Latvian composers, requires extended vocal techniques, microtonal singing, the ability to handle intense chromaticism, and a nearly superhuman ability to pick pitches out of nowhere, and Kamer... responds with astonishing virtuosity. The purity of their sound, the precision of their intonation and their focused musicality make them a pure pleasure to hear. Violinist Gidon Kremer's participation on the recording is a testimony to the choir's excellence. The works are especially attractive, too, making this a release that fans of new choral music won't want to miss. Peteris Vasks is the only composer widely known to international audiences and he's represented by several of his most immediately appealing pieces. Planescapes, which is strongly reminiscent of Arvo Pärt's early instrumental music, is essentially a small concerto for violin accompanied by voices and cello rather than orchestra. Vasks' use of the wordless chorus is masterful, and the piece is mystically lovely. Eriks Esenvalds is represented by three highly effective works that show great stylistic diversity. His ethereal arrangement of Amazing Grace avoids cliché and sheds fresh light on the familiar tune. Aizej, lietin!, for chorus, chamber ensemble, and percussion, skillfully incorporates elements of Baltic folk and liturgical traditions to magical effect. Best of all is A Drop in the Ocean, which uses texts from the Psalms, New Testament, St. Francis, and Mother Teresa to create a uniquely luminous and evocative sound world. The remaining works, by Rihards Dubra, Valts Puce, and Arturs Maskats, are each imaginative and colorful movements from the collaborative cycle Latvia: Land of the Sun. Much credit goes to Máris Sirmais, who founded the ensemble in 1990 and continues to conduct it; he has created a remarkably disciplined and spirited group and is responsible for commissioning much of the music heard here. The sound is excellent and clean and spacious.
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