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 it's multi-award-winning conductor, Kaspars Putnins. 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 Wideen, 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 Bystrom and Johannes Pollak and explore the human voice and it's possibilities in every conceivable way. Staffan Storm, Ulrika Emanuelsson and Anna-Karin Klockar pay tribute to the great Swedish Romantic Hugo Alfven in pieces composed for the 150th anniversary of his birth. Finally, Arne Lundmark and Jan Sandstrom 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 Putnins invite you to celebrate a century of Swedish musical history.

Following his recordings of Tchaikovsky and Barber concertos (BIS-2440), honoured with a "Diapason d'or", Gramophone's "Editor's Choice" and BBC Music Magazine's "Concerto Choice", and Nielsen and Sibelius (BIS-2620), awarded Gramophone's "Editor's Choice", Swedish-Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene now takes on three of the most popular concertante works for violin in the entire repertoire, composed in three different eras. Felix Mendelssohn's Concerto in E minor needs no introduction: this masterpiece from the composer's mature period is one of the best known and most beloved works in all of classical music thanks to it's freshness, originality of writing, and magnificent themes. Max Bruch's First Violin Concerto, another pillar of the violin repertoire, is appreciated for it's natural lyricism and memorable melodies. In these two works, Johan Dalene is accompanied by the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by it's concertmaster Malin Broman (Mendelssohn) and by Gemma New (Bruch). Imbued with a serene, meditative spirit and a sense of communion with nature, Ralph Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending concludes the program. However, the work is not performed here in it's well-known orchestral version, but rather with choir in an arrangement by Paul Drayton. The Swedish Radio Choir is conducted by it's director Kaspars Putnins, a musical partnership whose recordings on BIS have earned numerous awards.