Choral music is a genre rarely associated with Edvard Grieg, but this CD reveals him as a composer with distinctive gifts for choral writing. He composed about 50 choral works, and this CD includes about half of them, including his final work, an a cappella setting of four Psalms. The pieces are notable for their musical variety; they include children's songs, folk-song arrangements, and music for liturgical use, and while many are recognizable as Grieg's work, several have an eccentric quirkiness that sheds new light on his musical personality. "Kvalins halling," for men's chorus and bass solo, a traditional Norwegian fiddle dance to which the composer sets nonsense syllables, is the most wonderfully odd; it has a kind of rocking, proto-minimalist pattern sporadically interrupted by bursts of late-Romantic harmonic effulgence. The collection contains one familiar work, a choral arrangement of "Varen" (Last spring), perhaps his most famous solo song. The Psalms are models of expressive, harmonically rich Romantic vocal writing. The CD includes pieces for mixed voices as well as men's and women's choruses. The works presented here offer a wealth of attractive choral music that deserves to find a place in the repertoire of choirs interested in venturing beyond the standard literature. The Norwegian ensemble Grex Vocalis, conducted by Carl Hogset, sings with a warm, ringing tone; excellent intonation; and a beautiful blend. The soloists make a strong contribution; tenor Magnus Staveland sings with passion and sensitivity and bass-baritone Daniel Oskar Danielsson's boisterous performance adds to the rollicking fun of "Kvalins halling."

Songlist: Children's song, Farmyard-song, Halling, Good-night song for Dobbin, Kvalin's Halling, The Ocean, The Christmas Tree, It is the greatest follishness, Springdans, Young Ole, Fisherman's song, Fairest among women, The great white host, The Gipsy lad, Retnams-Knut, The Norwgian mountains, I I lay down so late, Fatherland hymn, Little Toro, Last Spring, Whitsun Hymn, Ave, Maris Stella, How fair is thy face, God's son hath set me free, Jesus Christ our Lord is risen, In Heav'n above

Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer who is widely considered one of the leading Romantic era composers and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. His use and development of Norwegian folk music in his own compositions put the music of Norway in the international spectrum, as well as helping develop a national identity, much like Jean Sibelius and Antonin Dvorak did in Finland and Bohemia respectively.

Songlist: Ave, Maris Stella, Dona Nobis Pacem, No. 1. Hvad Est Du Dog Skjon (How Fair Is Thy Face), No. 2. Guds Son Har Gjort Mig Fri (God's Son Hath Set Me Free), No. 3. Jesus Kristus ER Opfaren (Jesus Christ Our Lord Is Risen), No. 4. I Himmelen (in Heaven Above), Romancer, Op. 39: No. 5. Blegnet Segnet, Sangerhilsen (Greeting to the Singers), 4 Songs: No. 4. the Late Rose, Inga Litamor (Little Inga), Jaedervise (Westerly Wind), Valgsang (Election Song), Impromptu, Noget Langsomt (Slightly Slow), I Folketone (in Folktune Style), Allegro Con Brio, Molto Andante, Allegro Molto Vivace, Allegro Moderato E Marcato

Siberian-born Vissarion Shebalin (1902 1963) is best known for his instrumental music, which includes five symphonies and nine string quartets. Some of these have been heard on CD, but this is the first recording of the eight delightful, and very Russian, choral cycles he wrote from 1949. Shebalin had to endure much hardship; along with friend & colleague Shostakovich he was one of the composers condemned in the infamous 1948 Party congress in Moscow, and in later life he fought to overcome a series of crippling strokes.However, he faced these tribulations with understated but unshakable optimism, as these touching choruses reveal.

Songlist: Message to the Decembrists, Song about Stenka Razin, The Winter Road, Chattering Magpie, Echo, The Warrior's Grave, The Sail, The Cliff, Immortelle, The Wild Grapevine, Wormwood, The Cossack urged on his steed, A Mother's Thoughts of her Son, The Skylark, To a Birch Tree, Spring Beauty, Over the Burial-Mounds, Let Every Hour be Happy!, The Oak, It is fine to stroll in spring