This release includes new works written by Pēteris Vasks (b. 1946), internationally the most well-known composer from Latvia, performed by his compatriots, the Latvian Radio Choir and Sinfonietta Riga under the direction of Sigvards Kļava. During the years both the choir and the orchestra have collaborated extensively with the composer and premiered several works by him, including Da pacem, Domine which was premiered as a part of Pēteris Vasks' 70th anniversary concert in 2016. This album is the third album dedicated to works by Pēteris Vasks by the Latvian Radio Choir and Sigvards Kļava on Ondine.
Jeremy Pound | BBC Music Magazine | 02.2018
"At times impassioned, at times hauntingly still, Vasks's atmospheric choral world is brilliantly showcased in performances that are exquisitely balanced as they are perfectly paced. A stunning disc."
"Ilze Reine plays the organ of St John’s Church in Riga as if with fire in her eyes, and the Latvian Radio Choir’s trademark combination of purity and luminosity with a sprinkling of Russian friction sets the piece off."
"Sigvards Klava and his forces have managed to produce just over an hour’s music-making which is as vibrant as it is dour and thoughtful; as evocative as it is original; and as thoughtfully-articulated as it is gripping."
Philip Reed | Choir & Organ Magazine | 01.2018
"Peteris Vasks is the most recognised Latvian composer of his generation. This CD brings together five works from the present decade ... Once again Sigvards Klava and his Latvian Radio Choir, together with the Sinfonietta Riga, demonstrate their unassailable command of this repertoire. The choirs commitment to this music is exemplary, their tone even and perfectly balanced across all voices..."
Raymond Tuttle | Fanfare | 07. 2018
"The Latvian Radio Choir’s singing is both powerful and sensitive. Vasks’s long phrases are negotiated with impressive steadiness and control. The strings of Sinfonietta Riga tenderly mirror the choir’s unwavering faith. In the Laudate Dominum, organist Ilze Reine handles the lengthy solo passages with authority."
Hartmut Lück | Klassik heute | 12.2017
"Die Interpretation des international renommierten Lettischen Rundfunkchors ist gleichwohl vorzüglich, sowohl in der Intonationssicherheit wie auch in der Textartikulation; Vasks hätte sich kein besseres Ensemble wünschen können."
Latvian Radio Choir
Sinfonietta Rīga
organ | Ilze Reine
conductor | Sigvards Kļava