Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks & Howard Arman - Arvo Pärt: Miserere (2021)

On the occasion of the 85th birthday of Arvo Pärt (September 2020) and the 75th anniversary of the Bavarian Radio Chorus (May 2021). The Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, born in 1935, has succeeded in bringing sacred music back to a broader audience, and away from the confines of the church service, more than almost any other contemporary composer. The meditative character of his works, and his return to the simplest and most basic musical forms, convey moments of intense spirituality. Before his emigration from the Soviet Union, Pärt had already invented what he termed the tintinnabuli style of composition (from the Latin word for a bell). He produced an early and important example of this expressive style in 1977 with his “Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten”, scored for string orchestra and bell. It is also a key feature of the choral and instrumental works presented by BR-KLASSIK on this new CD: five works for choir as well as two for instrumental ensemble, covering all of the composer’s creative epochs between 1986 and 2019. Alongside shorter acappella choral works such as “Tribute to Caesar” (1997), “Which Was the Son of…” (2000), “The Deer's Cry” (2007) and “Ja ma kuulsin hääle… (And I heard a voice)” (2017), the highlight of this album – almost 30 minutes in length and with its absolutely spectacular sound effects – is the “Miserere” for soli, mixed voices, ensemble and organ (1989/1992).

Tracklist:
1. Howard Arman & Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks – Which Was the Son Of … (07:44)
2. Uta Jungwirth, Munich Radio Orchestra & Howard Arman – Festina lente (07:23)
3. Howard Arman & Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks – Tribute to Caesar (05:46)
4. Stanko Madić, Alexander Fickel, Munich Radio Orchestra & Howard Arman – Sequentia (Revised 2019 Version) (07:17)
5. Howard Arman & Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks – The Deer’s Cry (04:00)
6. OENM, Howard Arman & Andrew Lepri Meyer – Miserere: Versus No. 3, Miserere mei (Live) (03:45)
7. OENM, Howard Arman, Benno Schachtner & Andrew Lepri Meyer – Miserere: Versus No. 4, Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea (Live) (01:41)
8. OENM, Howard Arman, Anna-Maria Palii, Benno Schachtner, Andrew Lepri Meyer, Moon Yung Oh & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 5, Quoniam iniquitatem (Live) (00:57)
9. Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, OENM & Howard Arman – Miserere: Dies irae (Live) (02:31)
10. OENM, Howard Arman & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 6, Tibi soli peccavi (Live) (01:44)
11. OENM, Howard Arman, Andrew Lepri Meyer & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 7, Ecce enim in inquitatibus (Live) (01:06)
12. OENM, Howard Arman & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 8, Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti (Live) (01:57)
13. OENM, Howard Arman, Moon Yung Oh & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 9, Asperges me hyssopo (Live) (01:05)
14. OENM, Howard Arman, Anna-Maria Palii, Benno Schachtner & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 10, Auditui meo dabis (Live) (01:08)
15. OENM, Howard Arman, Anna-Maria Palii & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 11, Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis (Live) (01:49)
16. OENM, Howard Arman, Benno Schachtner, Andrew Lepri Meyer & Moon Yung Oh – Miserere: Versus No. 12, Cor mundum crea in me, Deus (Live) (01:11)
17. OENM, Howard Arman, Anna-Maria Palii, Benno Schachtner, Andrew Lepri Meyer & Moon Yung Oh – Miserere: Versus No. 13, Ne proiicias me a facie tua (Live) (01:04)
18. OENM, Howard Arman, Anna-Maria Palii, Benno Schachtner & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 14, Redde mihi laetitiam (Live) (02:29)
19. OENM, Howard Arman, Anna-Maria Palii, Andrew Lepri Meyer, Moon Yung Oh & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 15, Docebo iniquos vias tuas (Live) (00:39)
20. OENM, Howard Arman, Anna-Maria Palii, Benno Schachtner, Andrew Lepri Meyer, Moon Yung Oh & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 16, Libera me de sanguinibus (Live) (01:16)
21. OENM, Howard Arman, Benno Schachtner, Andrew Lepri Meyer, Moon Yung Oh & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 17, Domine, labia mea aperies (Live) (00:57)
22. OENM, Howard Arman, Anna-Maria Palii, Benno Schachtner, Andrew Lepri Meyer, Moon Yung Oh & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 18, Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium (Live) (01:10)
23. OENM, Howard Arman, Anna-Maria Palii, Benno Schachtner, Andrew Lepri Meyer, Moon Yung Oh & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No., 19, Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus (Live) (02:08)
24. OENM, Howard Arman, Anna-Maria Palii, Benno Schachtner, Andrew Lepri Meyer, Moon Yung Oh & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 20, Benigne fac (Live) (01:23)
25. OENM, Howard Arman, Moon Yung Oh & Thomas Hamberger – Miserere: Versus No. 21, Tunc acceptabis sacrificium (Live) (01:29)
26. Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, OENM, Howard Arman, Anna-Maria Palii & Benno Schachtner – Miserere: Rex tremendae (Live) (02:31)
27. Howard Arman & Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks – And I Heard a Voice … (05:28)