Released on the occasion of the Swedish Radio Choir’s centenary, this recording brings together works that testify to the richness and the vitality of the internationally acclaimed Swedish choral tradition. The programme features twelve extremely varied works, demonstrating the openness, versatility and flexibility of the Swedish Radio Choir and its multi-award-winning conductor, Kaspars Putniņš. It also pays tribute to the pioneering work of the choir’s long-standing choirmaster Eric Ericson, whose work has influenced and inspired composers from many generations. The older works, by Ivar Widéen, Lars Johan Werle, Lars Edlund and Ingvar Lidholm, draw on ancient, secular and religious traditions, from Gregorian chant and madrigals, and combine clear melodic lines, glissandos, chants, whispers and traditional harmonies to create a language that is both modern and accessible. More modern works by Anders Hillborg, Britta Byström and Johannes Pollak and explore the human voice and its possibilities in every conceivable way. Staffan Storm, Ulrika Emanuelsson and Anna-Karin Klockar pay tribute to the great Swedish Romantic Hugo Alfvén in pieces composed for the 150th anniversary of his birth. Finally, Arne Lundmark and Jan Sandström adapt existing folk and religious pieces and ‘expand’ the musical content, offering a vision that is both personal and respectful of the original work. The Swedish Radio Choir and Kaspars Putniņš invite you to celebrate a century of Swedish musical history.
