Carus' sixth installment in the complete works of Heinrich Schutz is presented with the guiding principle "historically informed - interpreted today. The Dresdner Kammerchor performs here under the direction of Hans-Christoph Rademann. Gamba player Hille Perl with her ensemble Sirius Viols joins the Schutz recordings from Carus for the first time.

The boys' choir Knabenchor collegium iuvenum Stuttgart is based at the Stuttgart cathedral singing school. The ensemble's strength lies in it's very broad repertoire, which particularly includes works of sacred choral music from the Renaissance to the modern age. This is reflected in the varied selection of Christmas carols on this album: in addition to traditional carols, modern arrangements and new Christmas songs are also included. Instrumental arrangements by the composer and conductor Michael Culo for flute and organ as well as works for oboe and organ ensure a beautiful versatility of sound and style. Conductor Michael Culo studied church music and singing in Rottenburg and Tubingen. He has won prizes in organ, choral conducting, and composition competitions and has received numerous commissions. Since August 2013, Culo has been artistic director of the boys' choir collegium iuvenum Stuttgart.

"•After the prize-winning first recording of Franz Schubert’s opera Sakontala, Frieder Bernius has now turned to his oratorio Lazarus (D 689). • Although it only survives as a fragment, Lazarus is often regarded as a forerunner of Wagner’s Parsifal because of its recitative-arioso form, and still retains its place in the repertoire. • For this live recording from the Bachfest Leipzig 2013, Bernius was joined by a distinguished line-up of soloists, the Kammerchor Stuttgart and the Hofkapelle Stuttgart."

Already during his lifetime Handel's "Messiah" became his most frequently performed work, achieving virtually cult status. The many outstanding choruses in this oratorio are among the most beloved, well known pieces in the history of choral music. This new release contains all of the choruses from the internationally acclaimed recording conducted by Frieder Bernius. The special sound and musical refinement displayed by his ensembles - the Stuttgarter Kammerchor and the Barockorchester Stuttgart - which, according to the MDR Figaro (April 2009) breathe "liveliness and new energy" into the work, make it a most musically exciting listening experience.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Hugo Distler was born on 24 June 1908 in Nuremberg and brought up by his grandparents in the old book printing town. In his baptismal church St. Lawrence, the High Gothic principal church of the old town of Nuremberg south of the river Pegnitz, Leonhard Lechner Athesinus (1553–1606), Distler’s model as a composer, had also worked during his lifetime. Up to the present time, the famous Engelsgruß [Angelic S alutation] b y V eit Stoss (1447–1533) is to be found in this church – a work of art created in 1517/18, the year of the Reformation – which both composers, Leonhard Lechner und Hugo Distler, had seen there. Christian Steyer is an all-rounder. He is an actor, musician and speaker. He also writes, conducts several choirs and teaches. Christine Rothe was born in Annaberg-Buchholz/Erzgebirge in 1991. After several years of recorder lessons, she began learning the fl ute at the municipal music school at the age of ten. The Leipzig chamber choir Kammerchor Josquin des Préz has been acclaimed by press and public alike for its exceptional musical sensitivity and sense of style. The ensemble has enthused audiences through its blended, powerful and wellbalanced choral sound, as well as the excellent quality of the individual voices.

Classical Music

Hans-Joachim Lustig and the chamber choir I Vocalisti present a selection of Franz Liszt’s sacred vocal works that is well aimed to provide a comprehensive view of Liszt’s choral oeuvre. Opulent harmonic sequences countered by sparser passages frequently pervade these compositions, furnishing thee works with captivating sounds and sonorities. The compositions on this recording, all of which date from the second half of Liszt’s life, show the creative power of the religious searching which he experienced in 1853 as “an enduring feeling which controls me”.

For the composer Frank Schwemmer (b. 1961) the voice, be it solo or part of a choir, is his instrument. This becomes very clear not only in his settings of great literary and Biblical texts but also in his lovingly ironic folk song arrangements that have been recorded here as well. The Athesinus Consort Berlin, founded by Klaus-Martin Bresgott in 1992, primarily performs works from the late renaissance and baroque periods a-cappella or with instrumental accompaniment. In addition, they perform modern works that have led to regular premiere performances.

Classical Music

The Advent and Christmas season has it's own special sound. The selections on this recording includes traditional songs, interesting arrangements and contains seldom-heard compositions and unknown treasures.

Classical Music

With The Rhythm of Life, the Ulmer Spatzen Choir under the direction of Hans de Gilde offer an insight into their extensive repertoire. On the one hand, numerous works belonging to the classic choral repertoire, originating from composers such as Purcell, Pergolesi, Mendelssohn, Brahms und Humperdinck, are to be heard. On the other hand however, the young singers between the ages of 12 and 19 demonstrate their ability also in various pop and jazz standards as well as in film music. Moving interpretations of simple folk songs carry us off into other countries and times. The individual pieces are accompanied by either a band, a piano, or an organ. A colorful kaleidoscope of choral music!

On the occasion of it's 40th anniversary Carus has initiated a new series Carus Classics, featuring ten outstanding CD productions from the past library of recordings. This exclusive collection, designed by Friedrich Forssman and Cornelia Feyll, is presented in high-quality DigiPacs and each CD includes an extensive booklet. '... exemplary recording.' (New Classics, September 2005)