Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara claims never to have set out to be a choral composer, but he has created a substantial body of works for chorus, including several important large pieces. This disc gathers some of his smaller works and cycles, a mix of some of his most frequently performed work and some relative rarities. While all are composed with great skill and sensitivity, some stand out for the abundance of their lyricism, harmonic richness, and fecund inventiveness. The four-movement Suite de Lorca is among the ...
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Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara claims never to have set out to be a choral composer, but he has created a substantial body of works for chorus, including several important large pieces. This disc gathers some of his smaller works and cycles, a mix of some of his most frequently performed work and some relative rarities. While all are composed with great skill and sensitivity, some stand out for the abundance of their lyricism, harmonic richness, and fecund inventiveness. The four-movement Suite de Lorca is among the composer's most frequently performed works, as well as one of the most popular of all Finnish choral works, and rightly so. Each movement is a powerfully expressive little jewel. The three songs of Canción de nuestro tiempo, also to texts by Lorca, are longer pieces. Their inventiveness puts them in the same transcendent league as Suite de Lorca, and they are even more generously melodic. Soloist Lucy Page's bright soprano radiantly soars over the choir. Canticum Mariae virginis is...
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