Calmus Ensemble – LUTHER Collage (2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz]

“Compared to the human voice, everything else is almost unmusical,” Martin Luther is said to have once judged. The Calmus Ensemble makes this credo entirely its own on its new CD “Luther Collage”.

On a September night, the vocal quintet came together in Leipzig’s Thomaskirche to record various arrangements of Lutheran chorales. There could hardly have been a more suitable place for the recordings, where the theological message of the great reformer can be felt in every corner and the spirit of Bach still hovers omnipresent above the visitors.

This spirituality, coupled with the crystal-clear acoustics of the church hall, makes the CD one of the most impressive productions of the Luther anniversary. Not only the flawless intonation of the singers, the minimalist instrumentation or the delicate interpretation are convincing, it is above all the clever arrangement of the works that makes Luther Collage a first-class listening experience

Following the church year, seven chorales are heard, from “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott” to “Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich.” Each of these original works is juxtaposed with a series of arrangements from different eras. You can hear chorale arrangements by Max Reger, excerpts from Bach’s cantatas, chorale settings by Schein, Schütz, Mendelssohn or even Pärt. In this way, a musical microcosm is created for each chorale, which completely follows the spirit of Luther.

This is the Calmus Ensemble’s second production dealing with Luther. Just a few weeks ago, Mitten im Leben 1517 was released, on which the singers make effective and dazzling music with the Lautten Compagney. Luther Collage presents a counterpart: intimate and graceful sound cathedrals that always put the composition or Luther’s theology in the foreground.

Tracklist:
1-1. Calmus Ensemble – Luther: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (00:48)
1-2. Calmus Ensemble – Mahu: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (01:26)
1-3. Calmus Ensemble – Luther: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (II) (00:48)
1-4. Calmus Ensemble – Mahu: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (II) (01:31)
1-5. Calmus Ensemble – J.S. Bach: Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland, BWV 599 (01:53)
1-6. Calmus Ensemble – I. Kyrie (03:45)
1-7. Calmus Ensemble – Schein: Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (00:44)
1-8. Calmus Ensemble – J.S. Bach: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659 (03:14)
1-9. Calmus Ensemble – Eriksson: Kristallen den fina (04:59)
1-10. Calmus Ensemble – No. 2 “Nun komm der Heiden Heiland” (00:28)
1-11. Calmus Ensemble – No. 2 “Nun komm der Heiden Heiland” (II) (01:52)
1-12. Calmus Ensemble – Piutti: Christum wir sollen loben schon (01:07)
1-13. Calmus Ensemble – Traditional: A solis ortus cardine (00:48)
1-14. Calmus Ensemble – Dufay: Beatus auctor saeculi (00:57)
1-15. Calmus Ensemble – Traditional: Castae parentis viscera (00:45)
1-16. Calmus Ensemble – No. 1 “Christum wir sollen loben schon” (02:46)
1-17. Calmus Ensemble – No. 6 “Lob, Ehr und Dank sei dir gesagt” (00:59)
1-18. Calmus Ensemble – Traditional: Jesu, tibi sit Gloria (00:48)
1-19. Calmus Ensemble – Piutti: Christum wir sollen loben schon (II) (01:15)
1-20. Calmus Ensemble – Piutti: Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin (01:34)
1-21. Calmus Ensemble – Walter: Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin (01:03)
1-22. Calmus Ensemble – IV. Choral. Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr’ dahin (01:03)
1-23. Calmus Ensemble – No. 8 “Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin” (01:58)
1-24. Calmus Ensemble – No. 1 “Herr, nun lässest du deinen Diener fahren”, MWV B60 (05:05)
1-25. Calmus Ensemble – Eccard: Christ lag in Todesbanden (01:21)
1-26. Calmus Ensemble – No. 2 “Christ lag in Todesbanden” (04:07)
1-27. Calmus Ensemble – Walter: Christ lag in Todesbanden (01:25)
1-28. Calmus Ensemble – No. 4 “Jesus Christus, Gottes Sohn” (02:13)
1-29. Calmus Ensemble – No. 7 “So feiern wir das hohe Fest” (01:06)
1-30. Calmus Ensemble – Traditional: Veni crreator spiritus (02:12)
1-31. Calmus Ensemble – Calvisius: Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist (00:24)
1-32. Calmus Ensemble – Eccard: Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist (00:48)
1-33. Calmus Ensemble – Resinarius: Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist (00:54)
1-34. Calmus Ensemble – Eccard: Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist (II) (00:49)
1-35. Calmus Ensemble – Calvisius: Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist (II) (00:28)
1-36. Calmus Ensemble – Traditional: Per te sciamus da patrem (01:45)
1-37. Calmus Ensemble – No. 4 “Verleih uns Frieden genädiglich”, SWV 372 (02:17)
1-38. Calmus Ensemble – No. 5 “Gib unserm Fürsten und aller Obrigkeit”, SWV 373 (02:09)
1-39. Calmus Ensemble – Pärt: Da Pacem Domine (04:25)
1-40. Calmus Ensemble – Luther: Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich (00:48)