Nils Schweckendiek, Jan Lehtola, Helsinki Chamber Choir – Riemuitkaamme! – A Finnish Christmas (2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Nils Schweckendiek, Jan Lehtola, Helsinki Chamber Choir – Riemuitkaamme! – A Finnish Christmas (2017)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:13:50 minutes | 1,19 GB | Genre: Choral
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © BIS

Riemuitkaamme! is an imaginative and unconventional selection of choral music associated with Christmas as it is celebrated in Finland. Several of the pieces are by Finnish composers – Sibelius, Rautavaara and Madetoja, to name a few – while others have become part of the Christmas traditions of the country despite their international background. Among these Berlioz’ The Shepherds’ Farewell and Tchaikovsky’s Christ, when a Child… are quite late additions compared to the medieval hymns Puer natus in Bethlehem, Ecce novum gaudium and Angelus emittitur. All three of these were included in the collection Piae cantiones from 1582, the oldest Finnish music publication. Here, they are performed in settings by various composers from different countries and eras – forming a kind of soundtrack of Christmases past and present, distant and close. Contemporary music forms an important part of the activities of the Helsinki Chamber Choir and Nils Schweckendiek, and true to form, the team includes a world premiere recording in their celebrations: Aattoilta, by the Canadian-born composer Matthew Whittall.

Tracklist:
1. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Wachet auf – Synkkä yö maan peitti aivan (09:30)
2. Helsinki Chamber Choir – En etsi valtaa, loistoa (Give me no Splendour, Gold or Pomp) (02:48)
3. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Arkihuolesi kaikki heitä (Throw Off All Your Daily Cares) (01:39)
4. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Puer natus in Bethlehem / Synnytti piltin Bethlehem (07:07)
5. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Pastorale, Op. 18 No. 2 (04:59)
6. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Paimenten jäähyväiset pyhälle perheelle (L’Adieu des Bergers) (04:27)
7. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Joulun kellot (Christmas Bells) (03:15)
8. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Ecce novum gaudium (02:47)
9. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Angelus emittitur / Enkel’ alas liihottaa (04:18)
10. Helsinki Chamber Choir – On lapsonen syntynyt meille (A Child is Born Unto Us) (03:12)
11. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Aattoilta (Christmas Eve) (03:35)
12. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Enkeli taivaan lausui näin (Vom Himmel hoch) (07:15)
13. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Christmas Carol (04:19)
14. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Jouluhymni (Christmas Hymn) (02:54)
15. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Pastorale (04:55)
16. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Jeesuslapsen tarhassa (Christ, when a Child, a Garden Made) (03:54)
17. Helsinki Chamber Choir – Maa on niin kaunis (Glorious is the Earth [Fairest Lord Jesus]) (02:49)

Personnel:
Jan Lehtola (organ)
Helsinki Chamber Choir
Nils Schweckendiek (conductor)

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