Ave maris stella - Music from Medieval Monastic Manuscripts / Schola Gothia
Footprint Records
CD
$18.99May 17, 2024
Footprint Records is proud to present the album Ave Maris Stella, featuring Schola Gothia from Gothenburg, Sweden.
This marks the group's fifth album, the first released under the Footprint label, showcasing music from the time of Saint Bridget in the 14th century and from the collection Cantus sororum, the song of the sisters in the Bridgettine order at Vadstena Abbey.
Schola Gothia is a professional vocal quartet from Sweden with a distinctive performance practice of music from the early medieval period.
Led by Ulrike Heider, who received her education in the Netherlands, including a program in medieval ensemble singing, the group also comprises Helene Stensgård Larsson, Sabina Nilsson, and Yvonne Carlsson, all educated at the Academy of Music and Drama at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.
In their musicianship, Schola Gothia aims to revive music found in monastic manuscripts from the 10th to the 15th century. Their repertoire includes Gregorian chant as well as early polyphonic music, with a preference for using original notation whenever possible.
Formed in 1999, the quartet has performed numerous concerts, both locally in and around Gothenburg, and in other parts of Sweden. They have also toured internationally, visiting several European countries, as well as Japan and Guatemala, and have collaborated with many distinguished musicians and ensembles.
Karlsson Barock is possibly the most prominent string ensemble for Baroque music in Northern Europe. On this album, Two Orchestral Suites & Three Arias, the orchestra is expanded with three woodwind play-ers from another important Swedish ensemble: The Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble. The first piece on this album is the orchestral suite by Georg Philipp Telemann, Ouverture-Suite in C Major, TWV 55:C6. Telemann’s Orchestral Suites – also known as ‘Ouvertures’ like Bach’s – were viewed as the pinnacle of the composer’s synthesis of Italian and French styles into something quintessentially German. As an interlude before Bach’s orchestral suite, we hear three arias from two tremendously popular operas at the time: Alcina by Georg Friedrich Händel and Farnaceby Antonio Vivaldi. To our great joy, the soprano part is performed by Helena Ek, a much-appreciated soloist for early music in Europe. Ms. Ek has an impressively extensive repertoire that spans from early music to con-temporary and she has teamed up with Göran Karlssonin several early music productions. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major, BWV 1066, concludes this wonderful album. Bach’s Four Orchestral Suites have helped challenge, alter and reshape what we understand about the composer. Mostly because we don’t often associate Bach, the sober Lutheran organist, with exuberant and joyful dance music. But these are works of considerable maturity and sophistication that deserve their place alongside the great scores of Bach’s last decades. From Footprint Records, we wish you an enjoyable listening.
Footprint Records is proud to present an album from one of Sweden's most remarkable vocal ensembles. Twenty years after it's founding in the University town of Lund, the Svanholm Singers has become known inside Sweden and beyond for it's unique sound: refined, joyous, razor-sharp and ultra-flexible. In Exclusive, conductor Sofia Soderberg and her 20 male singers present the fruits of their quest to expand the male voice choir repertoire with a selection of works written especially for the ensemble. Among them are original works and arrangements by Soderberg herself and by leading composers from Sweden and beyond. This highly engaging, atmospheric collection takes it's inspiration from choral foundation stones, including traditional Swedish folk song and Gregorian chant. But everything we hear is new, literally and expressively- direct, accessible and delivered in the choir's uniquely charismatic style. Included are encounters with the supernatural, a letter from a son to a mother, a traditional American hymn with a Japanese twist, songs of protest and warning, and frolicking dances full of rhythmic zest. The Svanholm Singers's distinctive combination of passion and precision is captured in high-definition on this album, released on the occasion of the ensemble's 20th anniversary year. It is a snapshot of a choir that sounds like none other through music that wouldn't exist without it.
On this new recording, Stefan Parkman and his specialist ensembles present some of the most spectacular and serene music heard at St Mary’s. It features music by the two composers who held the post of Organist there from 1641-1707 – Franz Tunder and Dietrich Buxtehude – alongside works by German and Italian composers that were acquired by the church. All the music is held in collections compiled by chapel master to the Swedish Royal Court, Gustav Düben, or at St Mary’s Church itself. This album contains three World Premiere Recordings: Salve Regina and Magnificat by Simone Vesi, and Jesu ex penetralia cordis by Paolo Quagliati. The splendor of the music is matched by performances both pristine and hearty. Stefan Parkman is Director Cantorum at the University of Uppsala and Chief Conductor of the WDR Radio Choir in Cologne. He assembled singers from both institutions for his recording, together with the period-instruments of the Uppsala Consort. The result is a total immersion in the spatial resonance of this splendid yet relatively unknown Baroque music, presented in full DXD super high resolution – and available in surround.
At Footprint Records, we are very proud to present Naoko Sakata's first solo album, Inner Planets. Over the last years, she has appeared in many different improv constellations on the Swedish jazz scene, but during her ten years in Sweden, Ms. Sakata has also evolved into an amazing solo improviser on the piano. These recordings were made with Ms. Sakata and a Fazioli Grand Piano at Studio Epidemin, in February 2019. On Inner Planets, you will hear six selected and un-edited takes from this recording session. Per Sjösten made this DXD recording and Naoko played straight from her heart - no compositions. We love it and we hope you will too. Naoko Sakata can also be heard on the albums Dreaming Tree (Naoko Sakata Trio, FR 084) and Thomas Markusson's Open (FR 107) from Footprint Records.
The Sofia Vocal Ensemble invites you to step into paradise, courtesy of ten of the most beautiful choral works written by composers of our time. For nearly 25 years, Bengt Ollén has fashioned his chamber choir Sofia Vocal Ensemble into one of the finest and most distinctive ensembles of it's kind in Sweden and the world. Here, the choir presents a selection of it's favourite works of the last half century - music that has inspired and shaped it's sound. We hear works by Swedish, Estonian, Russian, Scottish and Welsh composers, separated by contrasting traditions but united by striking beauty. These masterpieces include Alfred Schnittke's hopeful Three Sacred Hymns, James MacMillan's keening Miserere, Arvo Pärt's meditative Nunc Dimittis, Karin Rehnqvist's shimmering Jag lyfter mina hander, Paul Mealor's consoling Beatitudes and Sven David Sandström's radiant In Paradisum. The works are more than personal favourites. They are each, in different ways, highly suited to Sofia Vocal Ensemble's warm, lyrical sound (and in some instances tailored to it) - a meeting of Swedish choral discipline with Ollén's longstanding work to widen the group's dynamic and expressive range. The sound is embracing and alluring, rooted in finesse of blend and perfection of diction.
Footprint Records is proud to present a very special Christmas gift: the album 'A Christmas Wish,' performed by the Gothenburg Youth Choir under the choral direction of Anne Johansson. The Gothenburg Youth Choir, one of Sweden's most acclaimed, consists of boys and girls between the ages of 16 and 25. Anne Johansson, who has dedicated her professional life to teaching secondary-school children to sing, is an authority on young voices. The album contains arrangements of traditional Christmas songs from Sweden and France, as well as compositions by Benjamin Britten, Max Reger, and others- it is the perfect accompaniment to the Yuletide season. The Gothenburg Youth Choir wishes you and your family a very Merry Christmas!
Anders Jormin is a Swedish jazz/improv double bass player with a world reputation. For this production, Anders has composed a number of pieces for choir and double bass. The choir on this recording is the professional ensemble Camerata Silesia from Katowice, Poland, conducted by Anna Szostak. Anders Jormin was born in 1957 in Jonkoping, Sweden. After intense studies, he left Musikhogskolan in Goteborg with diplomas in double bass and improvisation/ pedagogy in 1979. Today as a double-bass player and composer, AJ is a frequent and highly respected performer on the international concert scene. As a musician in great demand, AJ has recorded and toured with many of the legends in jazz. For many years, AJ was also a front figure in one of Scandinavia's foremost ensembles, "Entra." AJ today performs regularly all over Europe, North America, and Japan, and has for shorter periods performed and studied ethnic music in Cuba and Mozambique.
Footprint Records is proud to present a new release by the compelling Swedish vocal quartet Tetra. Once again, Tetra takes us around the world- this time, in search of lullabies. As always, they treat us to a cultural feast, deliciously prepared and spiced with their tasteful arrangements for vocals and percussion. They also have some extra star power, with appearances by Jonas Simonson, flutes; Ahmad al-Khatib, oud; and Senegal’s spellbinding Adama Cissokho. Four distinctive vocalists come together in Tetra, all sharing a world music background: Ingrid Brannstrom represents the Nordic folk tradition, while Sanna Kallman sweeps us off to the Caribbean. Anna Ottertun leads the way to the Arabic culture sphere, and Maria Stellas has Greek ornamentation in her blood. This is Tetra’s third release on the Footprint label, following “Hiyya” and “Viv tolerans.”
Footprint is delighted to release the debut recording from Harlanda Chamber Choir in the ensemble's tenth anniversary year. 'A bright star shineth' is an atmospheric celebration of Christmas music from throughout Europe from the Sixteenth Century to present day. This recording charts a Christmas journey from France to Iceland, via England, Wales, Ireland and of course Sweden. Traditional songs in alluring arrangements by Åke Hillerud and John Rutter and more are heard alongside original compositions by the likes of Francis Poulenc, Thomas Tallis and Morten Lauridsen. The choir pays homage to it's own roots with a traditional song from the Halland Province, 'Guds son är född' (arranged by Otto Olsson). Two premiere recordings from Scandinavian composers complete the picture: Ola Gjeilo's striking 'Det hev ei rose sprunge' and Anna Cederberg-Orreteg's emotive interpretation of Sibelius's 'Julvisa.' With fulsome, warm singing and careful direction from Molin, 'A bright star shineth' combines head and heart this festive season, "our birthday gift to ourselves and a Christmas present to the world," in the choir's own words.
With its reputation for technical excellence, it was only a matter of time before the Academy Chamber Choir of Uppsala recorded one of the most testing choral works in the a cappella repertory: Sergei Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil. With his beloved Russian homeland in turmoil in 1915, Rachmaninoff turned inward: to his deep personal faith and to his country’s glorious sacred music tradition. The result was one of the composer’s most honest and moving works, an aggregation of the Orthodox offices of Vespers, Matins and First Hour that moves from confession to celebration. Nine of Rachmaninoff’s movements are based on traditional orthodox chant; the rest are freer in form but imbued with the same scented spirituality that lies at the heart of the Russian Orthodox choral sound. Rachmaninoff’s work is reflective and deeply moving. It offers praise, meditation, penitence and proclamation. Like the composer, the Academy Chamber Choir of Uppsala – founded by Eric Ericson in 1957 and now under the stewardship of Stefan Parkman – take the text as their starting point. Captured in atmospheric sound at Bälinge Church in Sweden, the choir brings exceptional bend and balance to the score with a rich tutti sound and beautifully plaintive solos from Annika Hudak and Patrik Wallin. Footprint is proud to release this wholly distinctive and devotional interpretation of Rachmaninoff’s masterpiece on record, the first from a Scandinavian choir for many years.
Footprint is pleased to release a new recording from one of the most talented youth ensembles in Sweden, the Chamber Choir of the Stockholm Music Gymnasium. The school’s chamber choir is made up of 40 of the school’s hundreds of vocal specialists, and is led by Helene Stureborg, a sometime pupil of Eric Ericsson and Gustav Sjökvist. Awake O North Wind is a heartfelt and atmospheric journey through some of the finest unaccompanied Swedish and Norwegian choral works of the last two centuries, with an emphasis on music by living composers. The miniature masterpieces that are Sven-David Sansdström’s Four Songs of Love form the backbone of the programme and are spread among works by Wilhelm Stenhammar, Knut Nystedt, Trond Kverno, Karin Rehnqvist and others, with spine-tingling arrangements of Swedish and Norwegian folk songs included too. The Stockholm Music Gymnasium Chamber Choir has recorded for film soundtracks and appeared with artists including Andrea Bocelli. The ensemble’s full, rounded sound and intense clarity at high registers is revealed fully on its new recording, whose programme of repertoire members of the ensemble shaped under Stureborg’s guidance. ‘These young musicians have so much to give’, says the conductor. ‘They take responsibility, they are so focussed and they want so much from the music. I love to work with them!’ Awake O North Wind is a snapshot of both human awakening and burgeoning talent, with all the excitement inherent in both.
Following their first two albums, the Naoko Sakata Trio is one of the most popular and interesting improvisation groups in Sweden. The trio plays lyrical improvisation with attitude as well as musical maturity on this new release. The moods on this self-composed album vary from beautiful and wild to contemplative and still.
Ack, Libertas!: Songs from the 17th century with lyrics by L
Footprint Records
CD
$18.99Apr 24, 2012
Lars Wivallius (1605-69) was one of Sweden's most talented poets in the 17th century, but he was also quite a rascal. Many a year behind bars sparked poetry glowing with the desire for freedom. These words were sung to well-known tunes of the day. Renowned musicologist Jan Olof Ruden has reconstructed melodies from the period, and Ack, Libertas! Features some of these melodies fused with the poetry of Wivallius. Martin Bagge is a singer, musician, composer and arranger who made a name for himself as a faithful interpreter of 18th century music. Mikael Paulsson is an accomplished lute player, arranger, and conductor. Ensemble Mare Balticum, founded in 1989, is based in southern Sweden and specializes in Early Music.
