Grex Vocalis

Grex Vocalis — ( The Singing Flock ) — was formed in 1971. The repertoire spans from renaissance to contemporary Norwegian music. The choir has been awarded the “Norwegian Grammy" for three of its 13 albums and won 1st prizes in national and international contests: Arezzo, Gorizia, Tolosa and Marktoberdorf. In 1999 Grex Vocalis was awarded "Il Gran Premio Città di Arezzo" as the best choir in that years contest. Over the years Grex Vocalis has commissioned and premiered works by several Norwegian composers but also performed important baroque works like Handel: Messiah, Bach: Christmas Oratorio, Rameau: In convertendo, Quam dilecta, Charpentier: Te Deum, Lully: Te Deum, Delalande: Te Deum etc with orchestra and soloists. The first Norwegian recording of Handels Messiah was released in 1997 with Grex Vocalis and Oslo Baroque Orchestra.

Two of Grex Vocalis' recent CDs, "Magnum Mysterium" with Christmas music from across Europe and "Liberté" with works by Francis Poulenc have been highly acclaimed both home and abroad. A new CD with choral works by Edvard Grieg will be relased August 2007, commemorating the 100 years since Grieg's death. The choir has held concerts in most of Europe and has toured Japan twice, most recently in 2005. In 2007, Grex Vocalis was European guest artist in the America Cantat festival in Havana, Cuba.

The conductor Carl Høgset founded the choir in 1971. He holds degrees in languages and musicology from the University of Oslo as well as in voice and choral conducting from the Norwegian Academy of Music. In 1977 he made his debut as a countertenor in a solo recital in Oslo. His solo-CD recording with songs by Purcell, Handel, Grieg and Nordheim was released in 1995. He is a member of the vocal quartet Quattro Stagioni. After retiring from Foss College of Music in Oslo , Mr. Høgset continues to hold lectures and seminars on voice and choral conducting home and abroad. Since 1992 he has been involved in voice research with professor Johan Sundberg of the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Carl Høgset has created the Singing Technique program presented in a booklet including exercises recorded on CD and video. This booklet has been translated into English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Swedish.

Discography

Edvard Grieg - Choral Music

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 Norwegian 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

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. "Kvålins 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 "Våren" (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 Høgset, 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 Daníel Óskar Daníelsson's boisterous performance adds to the rollicking fun of "Kvålins halling." .

Crux

Fire Salmer - Edvard Grieg Hvad est du dog skjon - Edvard Grieg Guds Son har gjort mig fri - Edvard Grieg Jesus Kristus er opfaren - Edvard Grieg I Himmelen - Edvard Grieg O Crux - Knut Nystedt Immortal Bach - Knut Nystedt Tres Lamentationes - Arne Nordheim Quomodo sedit sola civitas - Arne Nordheim Clamavit cor eorum - Arne Nordheim Converte nos Domine - Arne Nordheim Corpus Christi Carol - Tron H. F. Kverno Ave Maris Stella Missa in sono tubae - Tron H. F. Kverno Kyrie eleison - Tron H. F. Kverno Gloria in excelsis Deo - Tron H. F. Kverno Sanctus - Tron H. F. Kverno Agnus Dei - Tron H. F. Kverno Stabat Mater Dolorosa - Tron H. F. Kverno

Review pending.

Magnum Mysterium

Jeg Synger Julekvad - Michael Praetorius O Magnum Mysterium - Morten Lauridsen In the Bleak Mid-Winter - Harold Darke I Denne Sote Juletid - Trond Kverno Infant King - David Willcocks O Magnum mysterium - Tomas Luis de Victoria Away in a Manger - Reginald Jacques Stille Nacht - Eusebius Mandyczewski Kling No Klokka - Per Steenberg Les Anges Dans Nos Campagnes - Graham B. Buckland Il Est Ne, Le Divin Enfant - A. Langree

Regardless of how one might choose to celebrate Christmas today, we believe that this music can contribute atmosphere, light and hope at the darkest time of the year. Grex Vocalis and 2L have brought together some of the most beautiful Christmas music for a cappella choir. O magnum mysterium – the opening words of Midnight Mass at Christmas – also express the shepherds’ awe upon seeing the child in the manger. The music of the festive season describes the great contrasts of the nativity. Here we find music inspired by the sense of wonder that the shepherds and the wise men must have felt on coming face to face with the great mystery. Grex Vocalis has given concerts in most European countries and in Japan. Participation in national and international choral competitions has resulted in several first prizes; in Arezzo in 1999 the choir was also awarded ”Il Gran Premio Città di Arezzo” as overall best choir. Grex Vocalis has been awarded the Norwegian “Grammy” for two of its thirteen albums. Grex Vocalis is renowned for its smooth, even sound – a combination of well-balanced timbre and shining overtones. Tuning each chord, and to create a unified shaping of each vowel, brings together all the individual voices to form an ensemble sound in which the vocal quality is greater than the sum of its parts. Carl Høgset’s expertise in languages and singing is reflected in his music-making. Through his genuinely musical approach he leads his instrument – the choir – to moments of indefinable magic; the music must move, and we must be moved by the music.

Listen to Kling No Klokka in Real Audio

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