After a rather brutal week health-wise, I figured it was time to listen to something which would be both lengthy and calm enough to let me wind down a bit. Hearing England’s The Hilliard Ensemble perform this sumptuous work by Arvo Pärt suffices nicely.
Choral
[Video/Sample] Árstíðir – Heyr Himna Smiður
The best way to describe Árstíðir, at least in this gorgeous tune, is something like what a Varangian choir might have sounded like in 13th-Century Byzantium, singing in the Hagia Sophia.
As it turns out, the tune is from the 13th Century, written by Kolbeinn Tumason. No, Wuppertal isn’t quite Byzantium, especially inside of the train station, but the lads made a mundane place seem almost holy that day.
For another, perhaps clearer version, check out this performance from Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2012. To hear this as an MP3 or FLAC file, just download the ‘name your price’ album via Bandcamp.
[Sample] Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble – Wintersongs
Kitka come as an absolute surprise to my ears. A group of American women who do justice to the Eastern Orthodox choral music of Russia, Bulgaria, Romania and other locales, they treat the material with reverence and sing in a nearly angelic manner. One of the best choral collections I’ve heard in some time.
[Video] Iraida Yusupova – Annunziatore Della Tempesta
A personal story about Iraida Yusupova.
Many years ago, I had run a record label (Falçata-Galia) which had a few releases. I was, and am, proud of every single one, though the label disintegrated thanks to many misunderstandings which the artists never had a part of. Iraida was one of the artists I desperately wanted to publish, and as it seems I’m drifting back into the trajectory of music again, it looks like a grand opportunity to work with one of my favorite modern composers.
This is a new work by her. Choral bliss.
[Video] Kjartan Sveinsson – Credo
A gorgeous piece of minimalism with choir by former Sigur Rós multi-instrumentalist Kjartan Sveinsson, who is off working on a couple of new projects of his own.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 