CANTICUM CANICORUM

LE GRAZIE VENEZIANE

EUROPEAN FOLK SONGS FOR EQUAL

SOLOMON

SONGS FOR CHOIR

SYMPHONY NO. 1&2

Classical Music

It is the story of a rebirth. The music of Jan Dismas Zelenka, long completely forgotten, has regained it's place in concert life in recent decades thanks to new editions of sheet music and enthusiastic performers. Born in Bohemia, trained as a musician in Prague and matured into a master in Dresden, Zelenka developed his special personal style from the trends of the time, which earned him admiration even during his lifetime. Frieder Bernius is someone who has long since discovered Zelenka for himself and performs him time and again. At the centre of his recording is the festive Missa gratias agimus tibi from 1730 with trumpets and timpani. 17 short movements of this missa are examples of Zelenka's ingenuity and compositional artistry. The Stuttgart Chamber Choir, the Stuttgart Baroque Orchestra and soloists Hannah Morrison, Franziska Bobe, David Allsopp, Thomas Hobbs and Jonathan Sells will perform under the direction of Frieder Bernius.

Hans-Christoph Rademann presents sacred vocal works from the pens of two of the most important Italian opera composers. The occasion and time of composition could not be more different. Puccini's so-called Messa di Gloria is an ambitious, large-scale youthful work that was composed for the annual festival of the patron saint of his home town of Lucca. The Quattro pezzi sacri, on the other hand, are Verdi's mature works, composed over a period of ten years and not originally intended for publication by the composer.

Sergei Rachmaninoff composed a setting of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom in 1910 that is the Eastern Orthodox counterpart to the Catholic Ordo missae. In this work for a cappella choir he succeeded in creating a masterpiece in his own unique style. The formidable, three-time Grammy® Award, two-time ECHO Klassik Award winning sixty-four member Rundfunkchor Berlin, and the oldest choir in Germany, is heard in this demanding, rewarding work under the direction of Nicolas Fink, assistant to the choir’s Chief Conductor Simon Halsey.

Classical Music

The motets of Gottfried August Homilius are among the most demanding and interesting works for choir. Homilius left to posterity an extensive oeuvre, including more than sixty motets. In their day, his works were very popular and extraordinarily well circulated. 2014 marks the tricentennial of Homilus' birth. The vocal ensemble Sirventes Berlin is led by Stefan Schuck.

One of the most influential sacred works in all of history is presented on this new release: Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Frieder Bernius with the Kammerchor Stuttgart, as well as the Barockorchester Stuttgart, perform this work beautifully, highlighting their knowledge of historically informed performance practice. Soloists featured here include Hannah Morrison, Sophie Harmsen, Tilman Lichdi, Peter Harvey, and Christian Immler.

Another exclusive Carus recording of Christmas carols from around the world featuring the Athesinus Consort Berlin, conducted by Klaus-Martin Bresgott. Containing carols from all points north-south-east and west, from the climes of the Scandinavian regions to the bush of Australia, from France, Spain, Italy, England and the Netherlands as well as Guinea, Korea, Australia, Canada and Venezuela, feast your ears on this lovely collection of holiday favorites the proceeds of which go to benefit "Liederprojekt", a charity project produced by Carus and Southwest German Radio that contributes profits to children's music education in Europe.

Classical Music