Konradin Kreutzer wrote his opera "Der Taucher" for the Stuttgart court theatre. Many years after the Stuttgart premiere in 1813, Kreutzer reworked the work for Vienna. Subsequently, this version was always performed. A recording of the original version is now available for the first time. Under the direction of Frieder Bernius, the Kammerchor and Hofkapelle Stuttgart perform this operatic rarity together with Sarah Wegener and Philipp Mathmann (both soprano). After 200 years, a composer whose trademarks are catchy, lyrical melodies and colorful instrumentation will be brought to life once again.

Anton Bruckner 200 (1824-2024)

A wide-ranging selection of Anton Bruckner's sacred works for choir and brass ensemble is presented by the NDR Choir Hamburg under the direction of Hans-Christoph Rademann.The pieces extend almost chronologically over 50 years, allowing the compositional development of this deeply religious composer to be traced.

Johann Sebastian Bach's incomplete surviving works have a very special appeal. The music seems to be within our grasp and yet it still leaves us puzzled. What might these works have sounded like?The cantatas Ehre sei Gott in der Hohe (BWV 197. 1), Alles, was von Gott geboren (BWV 80. 1) and Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied (BWV 190. 1) have also only survived in fragments - and yet they fascinate us with their musical power. The opening chorus from the New Year's cantata BWV 190. 1, for example, is one of Bach's most sonorous choral compositions. Carus has recently published reconstructions of these three cantatas, which attempt to make a previously unknown Bach accessible. The Vocalensemble Rastatt, the baroque orchestra Les Favorites and the soloists Miriam Feuersinger, Terry Wey, Florian Sievers and Sebastian Noack, under the direction of Holger Speck, show with their differentiated interpretation how these works might have sounded under Bach's direction.

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy composed a total of 38 songs for male voices a cappella between 1820 and 1847. He wrote many of them for his own use among family or friends. He also liked to use these secular choruses as gifts or personal thanksgiving. Now the male voices of the SWR Vokalensemble under the direction of Frieder Bernius have presented a recording of these songs. The result is an impressive testimony to these compositions, which are among the least explored parts of Mendelssohn's oeuvre.

Clytus Gottwald possessed the special gift of translating the most diverse vocal-soloistic-instrumental compositions into pure, polyphonic choral sound. He was rightly apostrophised by the press as the father of modern choral singing. At the centre of this recording with the Kammerchor Stuttgart under the direction of Frieder Bernius are ten songs by Richard Strauss, to which Gottwald breathes a choral soul with seemingly infinite creativity. The recording is complemented by Gottwald's 16-part transcription of Gustav Mahler's "Adagietto" from the 5th Symphony - a true miracle of sound. And the recording also includes an original composition: Friede auf Erden (Peace on Earth), one of the few choral works of the Second Viennese School, is performed on the 150th anniversary of Arnold Schonberg's birth. With this programme, the Kammerchor Stuttgart once again proves itself to be one of the best ensembles of it's kind.

The Choralis Constantinus is one of the most important motet collections of the Renaissance period. Heinrich Isaac wrote it during 1508 to a commission from the chapter of Constance Cathedral. A large number of the total of 375 motets are now largely unknown. ensemble cantissimo, founded in 1994, is one of the most sought-after vocal ensembles in German-speaking countries. The name “cantissimo“ says it all: a concentration on a cappella singing, the highest discipline of choral music. A special emphasis is also put on discovering and rediscovering the works of forgotten (and new) composers. With their characteristic style of interpretation and exciting program selections, the German and Swiss singers under the direction of their founder Markus Utz delight critics and audiences alike. ensemble cantissimo has worked intensively on the collection for several years. The singers present a selection of festive motets on this album – an impressive testament to the first musical golden age of the Renaissance. A magnificent rediscovery!

Frieder Bernius and the Kammerchor Stuttgart have taken on one of the most exciting pieces of Passion music in music history: "The Seven Last Words of Our Savior on the Cross." The new recording with Anna-Lena Elbert, Sophie Harmsen, Florian Sievers, Sebastian Noack and the Kammerchor Stuttgart under the direction of Frieder Bernius achieves an emotionality that can hardly be surpassed. (Carus)

When we make ourselves comfortable at home with the children at the most wonderful time of the year, songs can't be missing, of course. And the time until Christmas also passes much faster with melodies to listen to and sing along with. On this release, the Kinderchor SingsalaSing and the Ulmer Spatzen Chor present reimaginings of favorite Christmas songs, including Still, still, still, Ding Dong Merrily On High, Stille Nacht, and many more. These are songs for children, sung by children, which can also be enjoyed by young and old alike.

Motets from Heinrich Schutz to Fritz Werner

This 14-album box contains all the recordings of the complete sacred vocal music of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy with the Kammerchor Stuttgart under the direction of Frieder Bernius. The complete recording on the CARUS label, which took more than two decades to complete, was highly praised by the press and won many awards. Now Bernius' masterful interpretations, which unfold Mendelssohn's sense of cantabile melody and differentiated harmony in a high sound culture and colorful, transparent diction, are available in a complete set.

Swiss Choral Music is a colourful treasure trove that allows us to discover the diversity of contemporary choral music in Switzerland. In addition to a wide stylistic range, Swiss Choral Music also reflects the linguistic richness of Switzerland. Rhaeto-Romanic, French, German, Italian - all of Switzerland's official languages are represented alongside English.