Helsinki Chamber Choir, Nils Schweckendiek – Saariaho: Reconnaissance (2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

This recording presents Kaija Saariaho’s works for choir, a cappella and with electronics, and displays her virtuosity in the treatment of texts, which she endows with the full range of verbal expression. At least one of these works is also a discographic premières.

Nuits, adieux, presented here both in its a cappella version and with electronics, could be described as a lullaby, not so much for a sleeping child as for an elderly person sleeping out of our world. Funny and very serious at the same time, Horloge, tais-toi was conceived for a children choir. Écho! deals with the myth of Echo and Narcissus, with the idea of echo being naturally extended with electronics that process and reverb the voices of the singers. Based on poems by German poet Friedrich Hölderlin, Tags des Jahrs display an archaic choral treatment expanded by sounds of the human voices, birds, wind and other natural phenomena. Überzeugung engages with medieval music and treats the contrast between light and dark as a trance-like interplay between past and present. Finally, Reconnaissance can be seen as a ‘science-fiction madrigal’. Nils Schweckendiek and the Helsinki Chamber Choir initially performed this programme in concert in August 2022 as part of the celebrations surrounding Saariaho’s 70th birthday.

Tracklist:
1-01. Timo Kurkikangas – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices & Electronics): I. Nuit I (01:41)
1-02. Timo Kurkikangas – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices & Electronics): II. Adieu I (01:26)
1-03. Timo Kurkikangas – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices & Electronics): III. Nuit II (01:14)
1-04. Timo Kurkikangas – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices & Electronics): IV. Adieu II (01:32)
1-05. Timo Kurkikangas – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices & Electronics): V. Nuit III (01:19)
1-06. Timo Kurkikangas – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices & Electronics): VI. Nuit IV (01:25)
1-07. Timo Kurkikangas – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices & Electronics): VII. Nuit V (00:44)
1-08. Timo Kurkikangas – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices & Electronics): VIII. Adieu III – IX. Adieu IV – X. Adieu V (02:45)
1-09. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Horloge, tais-toi ! (Version for Choir & Piano) (03:26)
1-10. David Hackston – Écho !: I. Dolce energico (03:09)
1-11. David Hackston – Écho !: II. Calmo, espressivo (03:17)
1-12. David Hackston – Écho !: III. Libero, intenso (04:40)
1-13. Timo Kurkikangas – Tag des Jahrs: I. Der Frühling (03:22)
1-14. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Tag des Jahrs: II. Der Sommer (04:24)
1-15. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Tag des Jahrs: III. Der Herbst (01:30)
1-16. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Tag des Jahrs: IV. Der Winter (05:47)
1-17. Uusinta Ensemble – Überzeugung (02:55)
1-18. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Reconnaissance: I. The First Martian in a Long Time (04:29)
1-19. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Reconnaissance: II. Count Down (03:25)
1-20. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Reconnaissance: Interlude (01:56)
1-21. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Reconnaissance: III. Green House (05:25)
1-22. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Reconnaissance: IV. Desert People (03:31)
1-23. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Reconnaissance: V. Requiem (05:55)
1-24. Nils Schweckendiek – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices): I. Nuit I (01:31)
1-25. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices): II. Adieu I (01:28)
1-26. Nils Schweckendiek – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices): III. Nuit II (01:18)
1-27. Nils Schweckendiek – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices): IV. Adieu II (01:36)
1-28. Nils Schweckendiek – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices): V. Nuit III (01:20)
1-29. Nils Schweckendiek – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices): VI. Nuit IV (01:26)
1-30. Nils Schweckendiek – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices): VII. Nuit V (00:49)
1-31. Nils Schweckendiek – Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices): VIII. Adieu III – IX. Adieu IV – X. Adieu V (02:32)