Schumann: Missa Sacra Johan Hammarsrtöm, Swedish Radio Choir & Kaspars Putniņš

• Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856): Missa sacra, Op. 147:
• 1 Schumann: Missa sacra, Op. 147: 1. Kyrie 04:46
• 2 Schumann: Missa sacra, Op. 147: 2. Gloria 09:42
• 3 Schumann: Missa sacra, Op. 147: 3. Credo 07:25
• 4 Schumann: Missa sacra, Op. 147: 4. Offertorium 02:32
• 5 Schumann: Missa sacra, Op. 147: 5. Sanctus 11:12
• 6 Schumann: Missa sacra, Op. 147: 6. Agnus Dei 05:15
• Vier doppelchörige Gesänge, Op. 141:
• 7 Schumann: Vier doppelchörige Gesänge, Op. 141: 1. An die Sterne 05:23
• 8 Schumann: Vier doppelchörige Gesänge, Op. 141: 2. Ungewisses Licht 02:08
• 9 Schumann: Vier doppelchörige Gesänge, Op. 141: 3. Zuversicht 04:20
• 10 Schumann: Vier doppelchörige Gesänge, Op. 141: 4. Talismane 05:32
• Total Runtime 58:15

Info for Schumann: Missa Sacra

Less well known among his works, the Missa sacra, Op. 147, bears witness to Robert Schumann’s late interest in sacred music – and in particular in Catholic church music. The work would have a rather difficult fate: during Schumann’s lifetime, it was neither published nor performed in its entirety. Even after its posthumous première, opinions were lukewarm. Wrongly so: the Missa sacra is a fascinating attempt to update sacred music through a refined post-classical musical language. It was originally conceived for orchestra, but Schumann also made a version for organ, presented here. This version allows great vocal transparency and immediacy, thus contributing to a clearer vision of the work.

The Vier doppelchörige Gesänge for mixed choir a cappella, Op. 141, are also undeservedly neglected works: they constitute the high point in Schumann’s music for choir. These four songs unite both secular and religious-themed, the latter component being musically emphasised by the effect of multiple choirs.

These two fascinating works are performed by the Swedish Radio Choir under the direction of Kaspar Putniņš. Among his recordings for BIS is the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom by Rachmaninov (BIS-2571), which has received widespread critical acclaim, for example being awarded a prestigious Diapason d’Or by the French magazine Diapason

Johan Hammarström, organ
The Swedish Radio Choir (Radiokören)
Kaspars Putniņš, conductor

Johan Hammarström
began his studies at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm in 1997, graduating with both a master’s degree in church music and postgraduate diploma in organ. His teachers included Torvald Torén and Erik Boström for organ studies, and Stefan Parkman, Per Andersberg and Anders Eby for conducting.

Since the autumn of 2003, Hammarström has worked at Västerås Cathedral where in 2014 he was appointed director of music. He is responsible for the cathedral’s extensive music department and conducts the Cathedral’s Motet Choir. He is also president of the annual Västerås Organ Festival, which he initiated in 2009. An important element in Västerås Cathedral’s music life is commissioning new music, a project that Hammarström established in 2006, and has subsequently been a driving force in developing. So far, it has resulted in 35 commissions by both Swedish and international composers.

Between 2009 and 2012 he held a position as lecturer in choral conducting at the School of Music, Theatre and Art at Örebro University. Since 2013 he has served as a lecturer at the Academy of Music and Opera at Mälardalen University.

Kaspars Putniņš
One of today’s most exciting choral conductors, Kaspars Putniņš is permanent conductor of the Latvian Radio Choir since 1994 and was appointed as artistic director and chief conductor of Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir in 2014. He regularly appears as a guest conductor with leading international choirs such as the BBC Singers, RIAS Kammerchor, Berliner Rundfunkchor, Netherlands Radio Choir and Collegium Vocale Gent.

Whilst Kaspars Putniņš’s work encompasses a wide range of choral repertoire from Renaissance polyphony to works of the Romantic period, his foremost aim has always been to

promote new and outstanding choral music. He has also initiated projects which involve the participation of his choirs in collaboration with visual and dramatic artists. A wide-ranging discography includes recordings for BIS of Pēteris Vasks’ Mate Saule and Rachmaninov’s Vespers. Kaspars Putniņš is the recipient of the Latvian Music Grand Prix and the Latvian Council of Ministers Award for Achievements in Culture and Science.

Swedish Radio Choir (Radiokören)
For more than 90 years, the Swedish Radio Choir has contributed to the development of the Swedish a cappella tradition. Under the leadership of legendary conductor Eric Ericson, the choir earned great international renown. It is still hailed as one of the best choirs in the world. The choir members’ ability to switch between powerful solo performances and seamlessly integrating themselves in the ensemble creates a unique and dynamic instrument praised by critics and music lovers alike, as well as by the many guest conductors who explore and challenge the choir’s possibilities.

Permanent home of the Swedish Radio Choir since 1979 is Berwaldhallen, the Swedish Radio’s concert hall. In addition to the seated audience, the choir reaches millions of listeners on the radio and the web through Klassiska konserten i P2. Several concerts are also broadcast and streamed on Berwaldhallen Play, offering the audience more opportunities to come as close as possible to one of the world’s top choirs.

With the 2020–2021 season, Kaspars Putniņš begins his tenure as the tenth Music Director of the Swedish Radio Choir. Since January 2019, Marc Korovitch is the choirmaster of the Swedish Radio Choir with responsibility for the ensemble’s continued artistic development. Two of the orchestra’s former Music Directors, Tõnu Kaljuste and Peter Dijkstra, were appointed Conductors Laureate in November 2019.

The Swedish Radio Choir was founded the same year as the Swedish Radio Service began its broadcasts and the choir had its first concert in May 1925. Right from the start, the choir had high ambitions with a conscious aim to perform contemporary music.

Booklet for Schumann: Missa Sacra