The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – O Nata Lux (2020) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – O Nata Lux (2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:07:35 minutes | 1,2 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Berlin Classics

With ‘O Nata Lux’, ‘The Zurich Chamber Singers’ under the direction of Christian Erny release their debut album at Berlin Classics. The single of the same name ‘O Nata Lux’ is released as a pre-release before the album.

With a combination of outstanding vocal work, innovative programming concepts and a modern appearance, the vocal ensemble has increasingly attracted attention since its foundation in 2015. Through the different tonal languages, the young Swiss ensemble illuminates the various aspects of the Advent and Christmas season in its new album. The range extends from the clear and haunting simplicity of an official hymn to Brucknerian sonority and the interesting combination of deep marimba tremolos with the wavy, effervescent chordal layers of the choir.

According to the famous German Christmas carol “Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen”, Jesus was born “in the cold midwinter, in the middle of the night”. The light that disperses the cold and darkness is a central topic of Christmastide art and music, and an element of many winter-time traditions the world over. At Christmas, Christians celebrate the redemption of mankind at a time of darkness, expressed through the imagery of light. With their new album entitled “O nata lux”, the Zurich Chamber Singers highlight this symbolism as it has been represented for many centuries in the western art music tradition. They illustrate how light forms a thread through Advent into the Christmas story, as portrayed in strophic songs and motets over five centuries, from the 16th to the 21st century.

This narrative begins with two works whose lyrics admittedly are not part of the Advent or Christmas liturgy, but which are dedicated in musical form to the symbol of light: “O nata lux de lumine” (O light, born of light) is the Latin text of a hymn that is sung in many churches to celebrate the transfiguration of Christ. It describes an account taken from the Gospel according to Luke, telling of how Jesus went with the disciples Peter, James and John up a mountain to pray, where he was suddenly surrounded by heavenly light. The powerful narrative is featured here twice: first in a five-part motet by the English composer Thomas Tallis (c.1505–1585), in which the ever-increasing light is portrayed by the whole choir in the language of powerful homophony, shining out in prominently placed interventions.

Tracklist
1. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – O nata lux
2. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – Maria durch ein Dornwald ging
3. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – Nun komm der Heiden Heiland
4. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen
5. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – O nata lux
6. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – Quittez vos houlettes
7. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – O nuit brillante
8. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – Nous étions trois bergerettes
9. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – A Hymn to the Virgin
10. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – O Jesulein süß, o Jesulein mild, BWV 493
11. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier, BWV 469
12. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – Wiegenlied der Hirten
13. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – O magnum mysterium
14. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – O magnum mysterium
15. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – Magnificat quinti toni alio modo cum Canticis Ecclesiastici
16. The Zurich Chamber Singers & Christian Erny – In the Bleak Midwinter

Download:

mqs.link_TheZurichChamberSingersChristianErny0NataLux20202496.part1.rar
mqs.link_TheZurichChamberSingersChristianErny0NataLux20202496.part2.rar