A choral masterpiece, Schnittke's Choir Concerto is a setting of words from "The Book of Lamentations" by Grigor Narekatsi (951-1003). Written in 1984/5, it is scored for very large choir.
For this recording, the Holst Singers were augmented by large contingents of London's finest singers. The haunting and evocative Voices of Nature is a vocalese - without words - for female voices and vibraphone.
Superb performances directed by the recipient of the recent Gramophone Award for the Best Choral Record of the Year, Stephen Layton.
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The technical skill of the Holst Singers is truly impressive ... there is a complete sense of security and enjoyment from the highest floating soprano to the lowest bass rumblings. Gramophone, January 2002
No longer need Alfred Schnittke's daunting and often overwhelming Choir Concerto be seen purely as the provenance of those supernaturally adept Russian choirs. BBC Music Magazine, December 2002
The Holst Singers and Stephen Layton bring to [Schnittke's Choir Concerto] still richer tone and more passionate declamation. International Record Review, April 2002
The Holst Singers... sing wonderfully. They have a beautiful, cool sound in the best British tradition, and the deep bass voices bring forth some glorious noises. Classical Music Web, February 2002
The fortissimo they achieve rattles the window panes. The second basses have fabulous low notes. The Orthodox church would give much for such sepulchural tone.
Spine tingling ... 52 voices surging ecstatically through medieval German love songs... a terrific showcase for the choir’s stamina. The Times, January 2002
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