Review: Hindemith is among the most significant German composers of his time. His early works are in a late romantic idiom, and he later produced expressionist works, rather in the style of early Arnold Schoenberg, before developing a leaner, contrapuntally complex style in the 1920s. This style has been described as neoclassical, but is very different from the works by Igor Stravinsky labeled with that term, owing more to the contrapuntal language of Bach than the Classical clarity of Mozart.

Songlist: Six Chansons nach Rilke - La Biche, Un Cygne, Puisque tout passe, Printemps, En Hiver, Verger, Eine lichte Mitternacht, Du mubt dir Alles geben, Der Tod, Nun da der Tag, Mitwelt, Tauche deine Furcht, Trink aus, Fruhling, Judaskuss, Du Zweifel, Mass for mixed chorus - Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnes Dei

Review: Because so much emphasis is currently placed upon the fate of Jewish composers under the Nazis, it is easy to forget that there were some German musicians who also suffered as a result of the repressive policies of the regime. Among those that can be singled out in this respect is Hugo Distler, a highly talented church organist and choral conductor who committed suicide at the age of 34 in 1942, on learning that he had been called up for military service. The two large-scale works presented here offer typical examples of the so-called Orgelbewegung style drawing their inspiration from Bach in the trenchant use of chorale and Schutz in the density of polyphonic argument. It's a tribute to Distler's mastery and the outstanding singing of the Netherlands Chamber Choir that despite this obvious musical provenance, both works strike an individual voice and sustain one's interest without the textural variety of an instrumental accompaniment.

Songlist: Totentanz, Spruchmotetten zum Totensonntag, Choral-Passion, Op. 7, Erster Teil: Der Einzug, Zweiter Teil: Judas und der Pharisaer Rat, Dritter Teil: Das Abendmahl, Vierter Teil: Gethsemane, Funfter Teil: Kaiphas, Sechster Teil: Pilatus, Letzter Teil: Golgotha

Review: A choice selection of religious and non-religious texts, this is the second release in this successful series by the Netherlands Chamber Choir.

Songlist: Bienheureux est quiconques (Psalm 128), Ainsi qu'on oit le cerf bruire (Psalm 42), Vide homo, quae pro te patior, Revenge moy, pren la querelle (Psalm 43), Non omnis qui dicit mihi Domine, In te Domini speravi, Qui vult venire post me, Beati pauperes spiritu, Mon coeur est dispos, O mon Dieu (Psalm 108), Mon Dieu me paist sous sa puissance haute (Psalm 23), Estans assis aux rives aquatiques (Psalm 137), Cantate Domino canticum novem, Le Toutpuissant a mon Seigneur et maistre (Psalm 110), Regina coeli laetare, Or est maintenant l'eternel regnant (Psalm 99)

Review: A choice selection of religious and non-religious texts, this is the third and last release in this successful series by the Netherlands Chamber Choir.

Songlist: Diligam te Domine, fortitudo mea, O Dieu, mon honneur et ma gloire (Psalm 109), Tanto tempore vobiscum sum, A Dieu ma voix j'ay haussee (Psalm 77), Che giova posseder, Yeux, qui guidez mon ame en l'amoureux voyage, Dolcissimo ben mio, speme di questo core, O Domine Jesu Christe, pastor bone, Quand Israel hors d'Egypte sortit (Psalm 144), Timor Domini principium sapientiae, Mein junges Leben hat ein End, Qual vive Salamandra in fiamma ardente,

Review: Paul van Nevel directs the choir on the works of Andrea Gabrieli (1532/3-1586).

Songlist: Domine Ne In Furore Tuo Arguas Me, Beati Quorum Remissae Sunt Iniquitates, Domine Ne In furore uo Arguae Me, Miserere Mei Deus, Domine Exaudi Ora Tionem Meam, De Profundis Clamai Ad Te, Domine, Domine Exaudi Orationem Meam

Review: The acclaimed Stephen Layton guest directs the choir on the works of Darius Milhaud (1892 - 1974). French composer Darius Milhaud belongs to the 1920s Jazz Age. A member of the famous French group of composers Le Six, he is best known for his ballet Le Boeuf sur le Toit (The Ox on the Roof'). He favoured bi-tonality, often used by Les Six. Milhaud was a part of the post World War I scene, after the late Romantic or 'impressionistic' styles of Debussy and even Stravinsky. Milhaud was fond of jazz and the Latin American rhythms.

Songlist: Cantique Du Rhone, Les Duex Cites, Devant Sa Main Nue, Naissance De Venus, Trois Psaumes De David, Promesse De Dieu

Review: The complete Part-Songs for a cappella mixed chorus.

Songlist: Sechs Lieder In Freien Zu Singen Op 59., Aus Sechs Lieder Op. 88, Vier Lieder Op.100, Sechs Lieder Im Freien Zu Singen Op. 41, Sechs Lieder In Freien Zu Singen Op. 48

Review: Ed Spanjaard directs this world-class choir as they sing the works of the great French choral composers Debussy, Ravel, Jolivet, Francaix, Messiaen and Florentz. Magnifique!

Songlist: Trois Chansons De Charles D'Orleans, Trois Chansons, Epithalame, Trois Poemes De Paul Valery, O Sacrum Convivium, Asmara

Review: Specialist in medieval and Renaissance polyphony Paul Von Nevel guest conducts the Nederlands Kamerkoor in 14 classical sacred works of Christmas music, ranging from Jacobus Gallus' 16th century title tune and Geronimo Luca's 17th century "Este Nino que es sol del aurora" to Bertram Luard-Selby's 19th century "A Voice from Ramah" and Harold Darke's 20th Century "In The Bleak Mid-Winter." Some accompaniment from period recorder, renaissance violin, viola da gamba, shawm and dulciam. Just beautiful!

Songlist: Mirabile mysterium, Unidos tres reyes, Vincti presepio / Stelle presagio, Este Nino que es sol del aurora, Drei Kon'ge wandern aus Morgenland, Senores el qu'es nascido, Vox in Rama, Hodie puer nascitur, Ab Oriente, In the bleak mid-winter, A Penas nace este Nino, A Voice from Ramah, Balaam de quo vaticinans, Quae stella sole pulchrior

Review: The choral works of of Krzysztof Penderecki as performed by this internationally acclaimed chorus.

Songlist: Veni Creator, In Pulverem Mortis, De Profundis, Miserere, Benedictus, Stabat Mater, Song Of Cherubim, Agnus Dei, Benedicamus

Review: Rudolf Escher was a teacher and writer of music, a painter and poet as well as a composer. As a result he was very aware of the connection between text and music, which also came from his love of Renaissance choral music. His writing style was such that it defied classification with his use of polymelody, antimetric rhythm and chromatic harmonies. The pieces presented on this CD are the complete a cappella choral works by Escher. In the set "Songs of Love and Eternity" with poems by Emily Dickinson, Escher brings out the very dramatic images of nature in the text. Escher's music is considered extremely difficult. The first performance of "Songs of Love" was postponed twelve years after its completion. Under the direction of Ed Spanjaard, the Netherlands Chamber Choir makes it seem and sound easy. Much of the revered music from the Netherlands comes from the Renaissance period. Escher should, as well, be put on this list.

Songlist: Songs of Love and Eternity (1955), (Text: Emily Dickinson 1830-1886), - These are the days when birds come back, - Wild nights!, - Heart, we will forget him!, - The wind tapped like a tired man, - To make a prairie it take s clover, From: Poems, first and second series, (Text: Emily Dickinson), - I taste a liquor never brewed (1955), From: Le vrai visage de la paix par Picasso et Eluard, (Text: Paul Eluard 1895-1952), - Le vrai visage de la paix (1953, rev. 1957), Ciel air et vents (1957), (Text: Pierre de Ronsard 1524-1588), - Ode, - Chanson, - Sonnet, Three poems by W.H. Auden (1975), (Text: William H. Auden 1907-1973), - If I could tell you, - A curse, - Warm are the sill and lucky miles

Review: Review pending.

Songlist: Adem Opus 32, Canto in Modo Nono, Cinq Hymnes, O Mon Coeur, Regarde, Le Son des Cloches Invisibles, Silence, La Source de Toute Musique

Review: If it is possible to compose Russian a cappella music that is at once severely contrapuntal and warmly sensual, austerely spiritual and deeply emotional, Sergey Taneyev did it in his 12 Choruses on poems by Jakov Petrovich Polonski, Op. 27. Compared with Rachmaninov's Vespers, with its massively archaic harmonies and deliberately anachronistic tone, Taneyev's Choruses are clearly products of their late romantic time and decadent imperial place. As performed by the Netherlands Chamber Choir led by T nu Kaljuste, Taneyev's Choruses sound at once robustly mystical and lucidly expressive.

Songlist: At The Grave, Evening, A Tower In Ruins, Look Such A Mist, On The Ship, Prayer, Suddenly A Music Sounded From Eternity, Prometheus, From The Clouds, Stars, Over The Mountains Two Gloomy Clouds, Those Days When Over The Drousy Sea

Review: The Renaissance period was a prolific time in the Netherlands. The area produced such composers as Giullaume Dufay, Jacob Obrecht and Orlandus Lassus to name a few. Works by these greats and more appear on Vox Neerlandica I. Spanning a 200 year period the pieces are in chronological order which allows the listener to hear the development of the styles coming from this very influential region. Directed by Paul van Nevel, the Netherlands Chamber Choir is as magnificent as ever.

Songlist: Gloria (Johannes Ciconia), Guillaume Dufay:, - Ave regina, - Alma redemptoris, Josquin des Prez:, - Tu solus qui facis mirabilia, - La deploration de Johan Okeghem, Salve Regina (Jacob Obrecht), O salutaris hostia (Pierre de la Rue), Pater Noster (Adriaan Willaert), Carole magnus eras (Jacobus Clemens non Papa), Datemi pace (Cipriano de Rore), Musiciens qui chantez (Hubert Waelrant), Suscipiant, Domine (Jacobus de Kerle), Orlandus Lassus:, - Jubilate Deo, - Io ti voria, - Tristis est anima mea, Voi bramate, ben mio (Cornelis Schuyt), Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck:, - Pseaume 90, - Laudate Dominum

Review: On Vox Neerlandica II, the Netherlands Chamber Choir, led by Uwe Gronostay, explores Dutch music from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These pieces come from a collection of the same name which has preserved choral music coming from the Netherlands. Though often overshadowed, the Netherlands has produced some fine music. The a cappella pieces on this recording are no exception. They are wonderfully sung by a first-rate choir who has no musical limitations.

Songlist: De nevel dekt ons, Rei van Edelingen, Auf dem See, Chanson d'automne, Hymnus de ascensione Domini, Salve Regina, Qui habitat, Wanerers Nachtlied, Wiegelied, Canamus, amici, canamus, Finnigan's wake, Les compagnons de la Marjolaine, Nu sijt willekome, Pater noster, Hemelsch Vader, Sonnet No. 43, Priere, Als de ziele luistert, Psaume 121

Review: For the conductor Peter Dijkstra, "these works are among Bach's greatest compositions for vocal ensemble. The rhetorical power of Komm, Jesu, komm, the thrilling double-choir passages in Singet dem Herrn ein Neues Lied, the musical signature B-A-C-H at the end of Furchte dich nicht, every one of these demonstrates Bach's mastery and his ability to bring a text to vivid life." This analysis of the relationship between text and music is of great importance to Dijkstra, who leads The Netherlands Chamber Choir in thrilling new performances of the six Motets

Songlist: Komm, Jesu, Komm BWV 229(1730), Der Geist Hilft Unser Schwachheit auf BWV 226 (1729), Lobet Den Herrn, Alle Heiden BWV 230, Jesu, Meine Freude BWV 227 (1723): Jesu, Mein Freude, Jesu, Meine Freude BWV 227 (1723): Unter Deinem Schirmen, Jesu, Meine Freude BWV 227 (1723): Trotz Dem Alten Drachen, Jesu, Meine Freude BWV 227 (1723): Weg Mit Allen Schatzen, Jesu, Meine Freude BWV 227 (1723): Gute Nacht, Jesu, Meine Freude BWV 227 (1723): Weicht, Ihr Trauer Geister, Furchte Dich Nicht BWV 228 (1726), Singet Dem Herrn Ein Neus Lied BWV 225 (1727): Singet Dem Herrn Ein Neus Lied, Singet Dem Herrn Ein Neus Lied BWV 225 (1727): Wie Sich ein Vater Erbarmet, Singet Dem Herrn Ein Neus Lied BWV 225 (1727): Lobet Den Hernn