Heiligste Nacht. Choral Music for Advent and Christmas
Sommaire
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Chœur
Kammerchor Stuttgart
The Kammerchor Stuttgart is regarded as one of the best ensembles of its kind. Over its fifty-year existence, Frieder Bernius has developed the choir into an exceptional ensemble acclaimed by audiences and press alike. This has led to invitations for the choir to perform at all the important European festivals. In Germany the chamber choir performs at festivals and in concert halls in repertoire ranging from the 17th to the 21st century. Frieder Bernius and his ensemble have received numerous accolades for their contribution to new music. The Kammerchor Stuttgart has made over 80 CDs and LPs, numerous of which have been awarded international recording prizes (including the Edison award, Diapason d’or, Gramophone Choice, Classical Internet Award, International Classical Music Award, and German Record Critics’ Award prizes). The International Federation for Choral Music has invited the ensemble to sing at the 1st, 4th and 10th World Symposia on Choral Music in Vienna, Sydney and Seoul. Regular tours of North America and Asia since 1988 and a South America tour reflect the Kammerchor Stuttgart’s international reputation. Since 1984 the top ensemble has also been invited to Israel biennially. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Chœur
Vocalensemble Rastatt
Alongside its dedication to a core repertoire of composers such as Monteverdi, Schütz, Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Schumann, and Brahms, the Vocalensemble Rastatt & Les Favorites frequently explore new terrain with premiere performances. On the heels of its successes in national and international choir competitions, the ensemble has taken part in numerous internationally acclaimed CD recordings as well as radio, and television productions for SWR, Radio France, Deutschlandradio Kultur, and Deutschlandfunk. The Vocalensemble Rastatt & Les Favorites have performed in the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, the Musikfest Bremen, the Kölner Philharmonie, the SWR RheinVokal Festival, the Europäisches Musikfest Stuttgart, the Schwetzinger Festspiele, the Deutschlandradio Kultur Wartburgkonzerte, the Internationale Musiktage im Dom zu Speyer, the Philharmonie in Mulhouse, and the Centre de Musique “Les Dominicains” in Guebwiller, France, among other venues. The flexible choir does not shy away from excursions into the world of opera, having performed Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and Bellini’s Norma with Edita Gruberova, and Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte with Rolando Villazón. Together with Klaus Maria Brandauer and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the choir also performed Mendelssohn’s Sommernachtstraum at the Musikfest Bremen. The ensemble is sponsored by the German state of Baden-Württemberg in co-operation with its “Kunst 2020” program, as well as by its home city of Rastatt. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Chœur
Vocal Concert Dresden
Le Vocal Concert Dresden, créé par Peter Kopp en 1993 sous le nom de « Körnerscher Sing-Verein », est constitué pour l’essentiel de diplômés du Conservatoire de musique de Dresde et d’anciens membres du Dresdner Kreuzchor (Chœur de la Croix de Dresde). Le répertoire exigeant du chœur de chambre propose des programmes avec des œuvres de Schütz, Bach, Händel, Haydn, Mendelssohn ou Brahms jusqu’à des compositions contemporaines, en partie des créations. L’intelligence d’interprétation du Vocal Concert Dresden, mais plus encore le rayonnement émotionnel de ses concerts ont contribué à sa réputation d’ensemble d’exception et à sa reconnaissance. L’ensemble se voit toujours plus attester goût stylistique sûr et pratique musicale élégante et naturelle. Le chœur s’est produit à plusieurs reprises dans des concerts de la Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden et de la Philharmonie de Dresde. Il a été e. a. l’hôte de la Semaine Bach d’Ansbach, du Festival Händel de Göttingen, du Festival du château de Potsdam, du Festival Händel de Halle, du Festival de Ravello (Italie), il a été reçu en Pologne, en Hollande et plusieurs fois aux États-Unis. La musique de la fin du 18ème siècle, pour laquelle le Vocal Concert Dresden a développé une sensibilité particulière, est au cour de son intérêt. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Ensemble
Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn
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Ensemble
Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks
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Ensemble
Symphonie-Orchester Graunke
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Ensemble
Orpheus Orchester Wien
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Ensemble
Wiener Kammerchor
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Ensemble
NDR Chor Hamburg
Depuis sa création en 1946, le NDR Chor se consacre non seulement aux répertoires classique et romantique mais aussi à la musique contemporaine longtemps interdite avant sa création. L’apprentissage de l’opéra inachevé de Schönberg Moses und Aron a suscité un intérêt mondial dans les années d’après-guerre. Notamment sous la direction marquante d’Helmut Franz, successeur de Max Thurn, le répertoire a cappella est devenu l’un des points forts du chœur. Des directeurs choraux ultérieurs comme Roland Bader, Horst Neumann, Robin Gritton et Hans-Christoph Rademann ont perpétué cette tradition. Des chefs invités de renom tels que Eric Ericson, Marcus Creed, Michael Gläser et Rupert Huber ont su lui donner des impulsions nouvelles. Depuis la saison 2008/09, Philipp Ahmann est le directeur choral des Chœurs de la NDR. Les grands moments de ces dernières années ont été e. a. Israel in Egypt de Haendel, le Requiem de Ligeti ainsi que les Gurre-Lieder de Schönberg. Parmi les enregistrements pour le CD, citons e. a. les œuvres a cappella de Max Reger (dir. par Rademann) qui ont obtenu en 2005 le « Prix de la critique allemande du disque ». Au programme de la saison 2009/2010, la Création de Haydn sous la direction de Martin Haselböck et la représentation concertante de l’opéra de Bizet Carmen, ainsi qu’un abonnement avec un programme spécifique sous la direction de Philipp Ahmann. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Ensemble
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir
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Ensemble
Tallinn Chamber Orchestra
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Ensemble
Les Favorites
Alongside its dedication to a core repertoire of composers such as Monteverdi, Schütz, Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Schumann, and Brahms, the Vocalensemble Rastatt & Les Favorites frequently explore new terrain with premiere performances. On the heels of its successes in national and international choir competitions, the ensemble has taken part in numerous internationally acclaimed CD recordings as well as radio, and television productions for SWR, Radio France, Deutschlandradio Kultur, and Deutschlandfunk. The Vocalensemble Rastatt & Les Favorites have performed in the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, the Musikfest Bremen, the Kölner Philharmonie, the SWR RheinVokal Festival, the Europäisches Musikfest Stuttgart, the Schwetzinger Festspiele, the Deutschlandradio Kultur Wartburgkonzerte, the Internationale Musiktage im Dom zu Speyer, the Philharmonie in Mulhouse, and the Centre de Musique “Les Dominicains” in Guebwiller, France, among other venues. The flexible choir does not shy away from excursions into the world of opera, having performed Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and Bellini’s Norma with Edita Gruberova, and Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte with Rolando Villazón. Together with Klaus Maria Brandauer and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the choir also performed Mendelssohn’s Sommernachtstraum at the Musikfest Bremen. The ensemble is sponsored by the German state of Baden-Württemberg in co-operation with its “Kunst 2020” program, as well as by its home city of Rastatt. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Ensemble
Dresdner Instrumental-Concert
Le Dresdner Instrumental-Concert réunit depuis 1995 des artistes jouant sur des dénommés instruments historiques avec le souci d’authenticité des styles. Son nom puise son origine dans la vie musicale bourgeoise de Dresde vers 1800. De nombreux concerts et enregistrements – notamment en coopération avec le Vocal Concert Dresden sous la direction de Peter Kopp – sont autant de brillantes manifestations de sa qualité artistique. Le répertoire se consacre pour l’essentiel aux trésors de l’histoire musicale de Dresde et de sa tradition. Les critiques de la presse internationale et les réactions du public ne cessent de mettre en valeur la sonorité sensuelle et le jeu raffiné du Dresdner Instrumental-Concert. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Ensemble
Kammerchor "I Vocalisti"
Depending on the project, the chamber choir I Vocalisti consists of 20 to 60 vocally and musically trained singers from Northern Germany, who come together to perform challenging sacred and secular choral music at a professional level. Since its founding in 1991, the ensemble has performed in numerous concert series and has received prizes at national and international choral competitions, including 1st Prize at the 6th German Choir Competition in 2002 and 1st Prizes at the international choral contests in Tolosa, Spain in 2004, and in Cork, Ireland in 2009. In addition, I Vocalisti has recorded numerous works for radio, television and CD productions. The ensemble performs at major festivals, including the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival and the Festival des Choeurs lauréats. Furthermore, the choir regularly expands its musical spectrum by working in crossover projects with such groups as the Klazz Brothers and the Danish world music band Afenginn. As a guest choir for master classes, I Vocalisti has worked with directors such as Volker Hempfling, Frieder Bernius and Malcolm Goldring. The ensemble is also distinguished by its work with various composers and conductors such as U?is Prauli?š, Eric Whitacre, Ola Gjeilo and Christoph Eschenbach. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Ensemble
Ensemble 94
L’Ensemble 94 a été créé par Kay Johannsen en 1994 en tant que partenaire pour le travail musical à l’église collégiale de Stuttgart, mais se produit aussi depuis dans beaucoup de projets d’orchestre autonomes. Ses membres viennent d’Allemagne, de Hollande, de Belgique, d’Italie et de la Suisse ; ils disposent d’une grande expérience de solistes et dans le domaine de la musique de chambre. Une particularité de l’ensemble est que les exécutants sont en mesure de choisir entre instruments baroques et modernes selon les époques stylistiques. Le premier violon de l’ensemble est Christine Busch, professeur au Conservatoire pour la musique, le théâtre et la danse de Stuttgart. Le journal Stuttgarter Nachrichten atteste à l’ensemble « une joie indomptable de la musique » ainsi qu’une « dynamique subtile » et « une joie du détail d’articulation ». Le journal Stuttgarter Zeitung constate « des solistes jouant avec drive, élégance et sensibilité stylistique » et trouve que le groupe « soutient la comparaison avec les meilleurs orchestres baroques ». A propose du CD Telemann, le journal Württembergische Blätter für Kirchenmusik écrit : « Avec l’accompagnement de l’Ensemble 94 créé en 1994 par Johannsen, les chanteurs disposent d’un ensemble adéquat, à l’articulation parfaite, se subordonnant toujours à la partie vocale, et ne laissant lui non plus rien à désirer. » Plus d'information sur la personne
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Orchestre
Barockorchester Stuttgart
The Barockorchester Stuttgart, which was founded by Bernius in 1985, specializes in 18th century music. The musicians are among the leading representatives of historical performance practice and perform exclusively on original instruments. The ensemble dedicates itself to a large extent to the revival of 18th century operas. It has performed at numerous international festivals, among others in Rome, Dresden and Göttingen. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Chef d'orchestre
Frieder Bernius
| 1947Frieder Bernius’s work has earned great worldwide recognition. He is in demand internationally as a conductor and as a teacher. His principal artistic collaborators are the ensembles he founded himself, the Kammerchor Stuttgart, the Barockorchester Stuttgart, the Hofkapelle Stuttgart and the Klassische Philharmonie Stuttgart. As a guest conductor, he has collaborated repeatedly with, for example, the SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester and the Streicherakademie Bozen. Great stylistic versatility is Frieder Bernius’s hallmark. Whether he conducts vocal works by Monteverdi, Bach, Händel, Mozart, Beethoven, Fauré and Ligeti, stage music by Mendelssohn or symphonies by Haydn, Burgmüller and Schubert, his work always aims for a sound that is at once unmistakably personal and at the same time oriented towards the original period sound ideal. He devotes himself equally to the rediscovery of 18th century operas and to first performances of contemporary compositions. He is particularly interested in the musical history of southwestern Germany. Carus-Verlag has awarded Frieder Bernius a Golden CD for his complete recording of the sacred music of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. The award was presented to him during the German Choir Festival in Stuttgart 2016. The sale of over 250,000 recordings, which has been acclaimed with a number of awards, has made a not insignificant contribution to what today is the obvious presence of Mendelssohn's complete œuvre in the concert repertoire. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Chef d'orchestre
Robert Heger
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Chef d'orchestre
Johannes Prinz
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Chef d'orchestre
Hans-Christoph Rademann
| 1965Conductor Hans-Christoph Rademann is an immensely versatile artist with a broad repertoire who devotes himself with equal passion and expertise both to the performance and rediscovery of early music and to the first performances and cultivation of Contemporary Music. Born in Dresden and raised in the Erzgebirge mountains, he was influenced at an early age by the great Central German kantorial and musical tradition. He was a student at the traditional Kreuzgymnasium, a member of the famous Kreuzchor, and studied choral and orchestral conducting at the Carl Maria von Weber University of Music in Dresden. During his studies, he founded the Dresdner Kammerchor and formed it into a top international choir which is still under his direction today. Since 2013, Hans-Christoph Rademann has been the academy director of the International Bach Academy Stuttgart. He regularly collaborates with leading choirs and ensembles of the international music scene. From 1999 to 2004 he was chief conductor of the NDR Choir and from 2007 to 2015 chief conductor of the RIAS Chamber Choir. Guest conducting engagements have led and continue to lead him to the Nederlandse Bachvereniging, the Collegium Vocale Gent, the Akademie für Alte Musik, the Freiburger Barockorchester, the Deutsche Radiophilharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern, the Sinfonieorchester Basel, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg, among others. Hans-Christoph Rademann has been awarded prizes and honors for his artistic work, including the Johann Walter Plaque of the Saxon Music Council (2014), the Saxon Constitutional Medal (2008), the Sponsorship Prize as well as the Art Prize of the state capital Dresden (1994 and 2014 respectively). He received the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik several times for his numerous CD recordings (most recently in 2016), as well as the Grand Prix du Disque (2002), the Diapason d’Or (2006 & 2011), the CHOC de l’année 2011 and the Best Baroque Vocal Award 2014. In 2016 he was awarded the European Church Music Prize of the city of Schwäbisch Gmünd. His exemplary interpretation and recording of the complete works of Heinrich Schütz with the Dresdner Kammerchor in the Stuttgart Carus-Verlag, which was completed in 2019, was awarded the newly endowed Heinrich Schütz Prize as well as the OPUS KLASSIK 2020 in the same year. Hans-Christoph Rademann is professor of choral conducting at the Carl Maria von Weber University of Music in Dresden. He is also artistic director of the Musikfest Erzgebirge, ambassador of the Erzgebirge and patron of the Christian Hospice Service Dresden. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Chef d'orchestre
Holger Speck
Holger Speck is founder and artistic director of the Vocalensemble Rastatt & Les Favorites. He has developed a distinguished international reputation as a charismatic musician who is capable of bringing to life the aesthetic details of the sound particular to different periods, while communicating emotive content to the listener. His keen sense of sound assures the unmistakable tonal quality of his ensembles. His compelling, lively, and profound interpretations are regularly praised in specialist publications. He has conducted at famous festivals and concert halls such as the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, the Philharmonie Mulhouse, the Händelfestspiele Karlsruhe, the Europäische Musikfest Stuttgart, the Schwetzinger Festspiele, the Festival Europäische Kirchenmusik Schwäbisch Gmünd, and the SWR RheinVokal Festival. Holger Speck has won prizes at both national and international competitions with the Vocalensemble Rastatt. His CD recordings have met with international acclaim (Gramophone Magazine, American Record Guide, Fanfare, Fono Forum, L’Orfeo, Pizzicato, Diapason, Classicstoday etc.). He frequently collaborates with artists such as Anne Le Bozec (Piano), Reinhold Friedrich (Trumpet), Wolfgang Meyer (Clarinet), and Veronika Skuplik (Violin). Holger Speck is also in demand as a singer, as a guest conductor, and as a lecturer at seminars for conducting and interpretation. He teaches at the Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Chef d'orchestre
Tonu Kaljuste
For twenty years Tõnu Kaljuste (conductor) was artistic director and principal conductor of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, which he founded in 1981, and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra. Kaljuste has also been chief conductor of the Swedish Radio Choir and the Netherlands Chamber Choir. He has directed international choral seminars and workshops for several years and has worked as a guest conductor with leading orchestras and choirs throughout Europe, Australia and America. As well as immersing himself in the music of the great northern and eastern European moderns, such as Schnittke, Kurtag, Penderecki, Rautavaara and Kancheli, he has a deep affinity with the composers of his native Estonia, including Pärt, Tüür, Tormis and Eller. He has established an international reputation with his wide-ranging repertoire from opera, via the traditional symphonic repertoire to contemporary music. His numerous recordings have won many awards and have been nominated for Grammy awards. In 1999 he received the Cannes Classical Award in the category “Best 20th Century Choral Music” for his recording of Alfred Schnittke’s Psalms of Repentance. In 2004 he was awarded first prize by the Estonian State Foundation “Kultuurkapital.” The same year he became artistic director of the Nargen Festival, an annual, three-month long musical event on the coast of Estonia. He is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Chef d'orchestre
Kay Johannsen
| 1961
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Chef d'orchestre
Peter Kopp
Après sa scolarité passée comme membre du Dresdner Kreuzchor (Chœur de la Croix de Dresde), Peter Kopp a accompli une formation de musicien d’église tout en suivant des études de direction de chœur et d’orchestre au Conservatoire de musique de Dresde. Encore étudiant, il dirige déjà le Bachchor de Dresde. Depuis 1995, il est chef de chœur du Dresdner Kreuzchor, fonction qu’il avait déjà assurée pendant une vacance du cantorat de la Croix. La diversité de ses activités musicales l’a conduit plusieurs fois à l’étranger. Il s’intéresse tout particulièrement aux joyaux à redécouvrir de l’histoire musicale de la Saxe, ses concerts et productions pour le CD d’œuvres de Johann Gottlieb Naumann ayant rencontré un écho tout aussi durable que les plus récents enregistrements des « Noëls à la cour de Dresde » (Carus 83.169), « Noëls à la Frauenkirche de Dresde » (Carus 83.170) et le premier enregistrement de la plus importante redécouverte d’une pièce de Vivaldi depuis soixante-dix ans , son Dixit Dominus. En 2002, Peter Kopp s’est vu décerner la plaquette Johann Walter du Conseil musical de Saxe, au printemps 2003 a suivi le Prix d’encouragement de la capitale régionale de Dresde. Il travaille en outre régulièrement comme chef invité avec la Bach Society Houston/Texas et a donné des cours de direction chorale dans deux universités de la ville. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Chef d'orchestre
Hans-Joachim Lustig
Hans-Joachim Lustig is the founder and director of I Vocalisti. After completing his degree in Music Education, he has spent his career working as a freelance director and conductor in Lübeck, Germany. In 1994/95 he was the recipient of a fellowship awarded by the Deutsche Musikrat (German Music Council). He conducts seminars for choirs and choral directors both nationally and internationally. Lustig is also artistic director of the successful German boys’ choir, the Chorknaben Uetersen, whose male voices won 1st Prize at the 6th German Choir Competition in 2002. In addition, he is a sought-after adjudicator at choral competitions and frequently serves as a guest conductor for various choirs, including the Belgrade Radio Television Choir, the Philharmonia Chorus in London and the Ankara State Choir. Plus d'information sur la personne
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Solist - orgue
Kay Johannsen
| 1961
Critiques
„Heiligste Nacht” displays a high level of quality. Every track is well balanced and unified … „Heiligste Nacht” provides many trustwor-thy recordings of a variety of pieces. Because it contains many less known pieces and beloved classics, this CD would be a useful reference tool for programming a Christmas concert or recording.
(John C. Hughes, Choral Journal, August 2012)
… keine der üblichen „Weihnachts-Hitparaden” …, sondern ein Programm für ein ausgesprochen audiophiles Publikum, das einerseits neugierig ist auf Entdeckungen in Repertoirenischen, andererseits keine Kompromisse in puncto Qualität eingehen will. So erwartet den Hörer eine … Zeitreise durch die anspruchsvollere weihnachtliche Musik der zurück liegenden 350 Jahre …
(Michael Klein, Glaube und Heimat - Mitteldeutsche Kirchenzeitung, 1. Januar 2012)
… Die erfreuliche Programmauswahl zeigt sich unter anderem darin, dass man nicht fortwährend das Gefühl hat, hier wieder nur die immer gleichen Klassiker der Weihnachtszeit neu aufgekocht zu bekommen. Stattdessen lernt man als interessierter Hörer das ein oder andere Schmankerl kennen, das neugierig auf mehr macht. …”
(Christiane Bayer, klassik.com, 01. Dezember 2011)