Marcus Creed

Review: "It is an art to conceal art" : Mendelssohn had never presented a more perfect illustration of this maxim than in his Motets, Op.69. Composed in the year of his death, they are probably the finest works of religious music by this composer whom Berlioz had accused of being "a little too fond of the dead". But the most romantic of Bach's votaries had more than one trick up his sleeve and it would be a mistake to underestimate these extraodinary psalms and motets that Mendelssohn went on producing throughout his life, in spite of his rather strained relationship with the eccelsiastic authorities. Tradition and inventiveness are the leading principles of an artistic credo based on the skilful and beguiling mixture of counterpoint and melody, of harmony and brilliant orchestration. After having devoted three universally acclaimed recordings to the choral music of Brahms, the RIAS-Kammerchor is here on familiar ground

Songlist: Psalm 100: "Jauchzet dem Herrn alle Welt", Psalm 2 op. 78 Nr. 1: "Warum toben die Heiden", Psalm 43 op. 78 Nr. 2: "Richte mich, Gott", Psalm 22 op. 78 Nr. 3: "Mein Gott, warum hast du mich verlassen?", Choralmotette op. 23 Nr. 3: "Mitten wir im Leben sind", Motette op. 69 Nr. 1: "Herr, nun lassest du deinen Diener in Frieden fahren", Motette op. 69 Nr. 2: "Jachzet dem Herm alle Welt", Motette op. 69 Nr. 3: "Mein Herz erhebet Gott, den Herrn", Missa breve, Zum Abendsegen: "Herr, sei gnadig unserm Flehn"

Review: Considered by W. Siegmund-Schultze as 'formally the most perfect of Schumann's choral compositions', The Pilgrimage of the Rose was composed in 1851, a few months after the composer had received a manuscript from the poet Moritz Horn with a subject he found fascinating. This fairy tale, deeply impregnated by the spirit of the Biedermeier period, tells the story of a little rose that aspires to the human condition - and thus, to love. In a few weeks Schumann composed this huge fresco for chorus, soloists and piano, orchestrating it in 1851-52 with the aim of reaching a larger audience. But it is undoubtedly in its original form that the work is most pertinent, because it is entirely in the glorious tradition of the Romantic Lied.

Songlist: Die Fruhlingslufte bringen, Johannis war gekommen, Elfenreigen: Wir tanzen, wir tanzen, Und wie sie sangen, So sangen sie, Bin ein armes Waisenkind, Es war der Rose erster Schmerz!, Wie Blatter am Baum, Die letzte Scholl' hinunterrollt, Gebet: Dank, Herr, dir dort im Sternenland, Ins Haus des Totengrabers, Zwischen grunen Baumen, Von dem Greis geleitet, Bald hat das neue Tochterlein, Bist du im Wald gewandelt, Im Wald, gelehnt am Stamme, Der Abendschlummer, O sel'ge Zeit, Wer kommt am Sonntagsmorgen, Ei Muhle, liebe Muhle, Was klingen denn die Horner, Im Hause des Mullers, Und wie ein Jahr verronnen ist, Roslein!

Review: Last year, in celebration of Elliot Carter's 100th birthday, the thoroughbred of choral ensembles performed and recorded a program of the great man's complete works for choir - a cappella, men's voices, and accompanied. Now, for the first time, a thoroughly modern recording of Carter's complete works for choir is available - and in performances that will serve as the template for all future ensembles. Once again, the SWR Vocal Ensemble under the direction of Marcus Creed has distinguished itself as one of the most adventurous and capable choirs performing in the world today!

Songlist: Tarentella, Let's Be Gray, Emblems: Maryland, Virginia, Caroline, Emblems: When it is All Over, Emblems: By the Great River, Heart Not So Heavy as Mine, Musicians Wrestle Everywhere, To Music, The Defense of Corinth, Harvest Home

Review: Rare recordings of the music of this popular contemporary composer. Amazing choral virtuosity from the SWR Vocal Ensemble and director Marcus Creed. Gyorgy Kurtag was long overshadowed by his fellow Hungarian Gyorgy Ligeti, but in recent years his music has become far better known. Kurtag was the teacher of the renowned pianists Andras Schiff and Zoltan Kocsis at the Liszt Academy in Budapest.

Songlist: Omaggio a Luigi Nono op. 16, Eight Choruses to Poems by Dezo Tandori op. 23, Songs of Despair and Sorrow op. 18

Review: Rachmaninov's passionate setting of the Russian "All Night Vigil" is to the Eastern Orthodox liturgy what Bach's B Minor Mass is to the West. Consulting Rachmaninov's manuscripts and correspondence, and working with Russian language and cultural specialists, the virtuoso SWR Vocal Ensemble, under the direction of Marcus Creed, has drawn upon every artistic source available to make this new recording of Rachmaninov's transcendent Vespers.

Songlist: Vespers ("All Night Vigil"), Op. 37

Review: The Motet is the oldest compositional genre in European polyphonic art music. Its history can be followed without interruption from the 12th century to the present day. The form was regular part of liturgical services in the two principle churches of Leipzig where JS Bach was employed from 1723 until his death in 1750. Scholars are divided as to the purpose of the six Motets. Though most of them were thought to be funeral music, they cover a lot of ground in terms of creativity, originality, choral and vocal techniques. Marcus Creed and the Vocalconsort Berlin offer small scale, intimate readings of these evergreen masterpieces.

Songlist: Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf, Jesu, meine Freude, Furchte dich nicht, ich bin bei dir, Komm, Jesu, komm!, Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden, Ich lasse dich nicht

Review: Between the late Baroque and the twentieth century, musical literature was enriched by a great variety of choral forms. From the simplest (the Lutheran chorale as practised by Bach, or the chorus a cappella) to the most complex (double choruses, combinations with soloists and orchestra), they are all here in this exhaustive survey drawing on the finest recordings of one of the world's most highly acclaimed choirs, the RIAS-Kammerchor of Berlin.

Songlist: CD One: 18th Century, Christmas Oratorio, Famous Opera Choirs, The Seasons, CD Two: 19th Century, Choral Lieder, Motet, Choral Works, Motette, Vier Gesange, Zigeunerlieder, CD Three: 20th Century, Shakespeare Songs, Motets Pour Le Temps de Noel, Choral Works, Sacred And Profane