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

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.

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.

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 SchŸtz 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.

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck a famous organist and teacher and one of the great Renaissance composers from the Netherlands achieved international acclaim. Though he rarely left his home, his reputation spread throughout Europe and attracted many students some of whom later founded the north German style. Though he was an organist, the majority of his output was vocal. The Netherlands Chamber Choir gives a small sampling of his work. The CD includes five pieces from his collection of psalm settings and other Latin motets as well as a setting of the Lord's Prayer in French. Though he was Dutch, Sweelinck never set texts in his native language. In addition to fantastic singing, this CD features three of the great conductors of Early Music: Ton Koopman founder of The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, William Christie founder of Les Arts Florissants and Peter Phillips founder of the Tallis Scholars. All involved give great performances of great music.

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.

Review pending.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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

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.

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.

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

The complete Part-Songs for a cappella mixed chorus.

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 FŸrchte 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