Danish National Vocal Ensemble/Soren Kinch Hansen - Hymn To The Sun

Published Monday 21st February 2011
Danish National Vocal Ensemble/Soren Kinch Hansen - Hymn To The Sun
Danish National Vocal Ensemble/Soren Kinch Hansen - Hymn To The Sun

STYLE: Choral
RATING 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 107479-
LABEL: Dacapo 8226051
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1

Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

To the best of my knowledge there are no record shops with a classical section left in my home county which means the chances of my stumbling across something as unexpected as this release are next to nil. Let's face it, this is an obscure title: a collection of a cappella choral pieces by contemporary Danish composers is about as rare as sunshine in Denmark. Of the seven composers featured only one rings a bell with me: Bo Holten (born 1948). He bravely attempts a new setting of Psalm 23 ("Herren Er Min Hyrde") which is pleasant enough but will not replace any of the better known settings for regular use - or at least in English. "Three Motets" by Poul Ruders (born 1949) caught my ear while the settings of poems by Hans Christian Andersen by Per Norgard (born 1932) are also pleasant and that, dear readers, is probably as enthusiastic as I can get. This is a pleasant release sung very well indeed by the Danish National Vocal Ensemble under Soren Kinch Hansen and if you have any interest at all in contemporary Danish choral music you will be off to your local importer of Danish music at the first opportunity. For the rest of us, this is a pleasant listen but not one that will stay long in the memory.

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