Nordic Inspiration by Chamber Choir Kwintessens

In April 2014, the Kwintessens Chamber Choir left for Estonia and Latvia to come into contact with the rich choir culture of the Baltic states. Again, the choir praised itself by being able to collaborate with the world-famous Arvo Pärt and also getting to know the young promising composer Part Uusberg.

Estonia is the northernmost of the three Baltic states that have escaped the Russian regime through a singing revolution. A 600 kilometer long chain of singing people heralded a new era for a people who wanted to be true to their own traditions. This autonomous expression of freedom can still be experienced in the four-yearly Laulupidu where a choir of 30,000 singers performs in front of an audience of 80,000 men. Estonia is a country with a rich choir culture; a sparkling sound world that is peppered with folkloric motifs, love of nature and spiritual flexibility.
Time and again, I am struck by the integrity and fearlessness that characterizes this music. Two major composers are the figurehead for the Estonian choir repertoire, namely Veljo Tormis and Arvo Pärt. On the one hand, there is Tormis who grabs the folkloric side and often plays it with rough sounds. On the other hand, Pärt, who attracts many with his transparent and deeply religious style.
Pärt Uusberg is a great admirer of these two grand masters for the beautiful task of giving Estonian music a new dimension. He succeeds in any case in a special way in expressing the atmosphere and meaning of the texts he chooses in delicate melodies and harmoniously composed harmonies. As he put it himself, Uusberg strives to reconnect us with a world of harmony that, according to him, everyone desires from his deepest being.

Raoul Boesten

Tracklist

1.	Northern Lights	4:53

2.	Sinikan Laulu	6:08

3.	Siis Vaikivad Kõik Mõtted	4:03

4.	Sicut Cervus	3:30

5.	Kyrie	3:31

6.	The Deer's Cry	5:04

7.	Lauliku Lapsepõli	2:32

8.	Ligo	5:35

9.	Jumalaga!	4:32

10.	Bysjan, bysjan lite bån	2:30

11.	Õhtu Ilu	5:56

Credits

released July 1, 2015

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