Conductor Vassil Arnaudov, who died in 1991, was a huge influence on the 40-strong women's choir, helping it build a broad repertoire, from European renaissance-baroque polyphony to 20th century music, and turning many Bulgarian choral works into masterpieces. There is light piano accompaniment on a few of these 23 pieces, but the emphasis is on the lilting, soaring soprano voices with their crystal-clear diction, that dance over difficult passages with grace and polished ease. Some of our favorites are the title tune, Schubert's 'Die Nachtigall,' Thomas Morley's 'Good morrow, fair ladies of the May,' Beethoven's 'Ich liebe dich,' Philip Koutev's 'Draguna and the nightingale,' Verdi's 'Laudi alla Vergine Maria' and Mozart's 'Ave verum corpus,' but each piece is beautifully realized. A special collection of choral music by one of the best choirs in Europe, directed by the brilliant conductor who brought them to that place.

The release features a selection of songs by Schumann, performed by the well-known Bulgarian female chamber choir VASSIL ARNAUDOV conducted by Irina Stiglich and Theodora Pavlovich. Almost all songs were composed in the forties of the 19th century, a time of elation for Schumann, who had finally found real happiness in life. His lyrical songs are an expression of his innermost feelings of joy, sorrow, delight and inspirations connected with the poetry of his beloved Moerike, Ruekert, Eichendorff, Elisabeth Kulmann and other German poets who have been a source of inspiration for many composers of romantic music. Some of the shorter songs like Rosmarien, Mailied, Fruehlingslied, Spinnelied, as well as the chorus from the oratory 'Das Paradies und die Peri' are real musical jewels. Selected with much precision, the lyrical songs reveal Schumann's talent in shaping the small, always exquisitely woven musical form, his musical gift to create images, metaphors, characters, and natural scenery. The interpretation of singers and choir-masters alike is magnificent with its sincere emotion, subtle nuances of sound and colour, keen feeling for ensemble and perfect intonation.

The CD includes several, now cherished as a valuable archive, recordings of the great Bulgarian choral conductor Prof. Vassil ARNAUDOV, director of long standing of the Sofia Chamber Women's Choir. These are the enchanting 'Winter Reflections' by Todor Popov, a composer closely associated with Arnaudov, just like the other authors in the CD - Lyubomir Pipkov, Konstantin Iliev, Alexander Tekeliev, Alexander Tanev and Ivan Spassov. With the exception of the latter's 'Triptych', all the songs were created for and first performed by the choir, on the initiative of Vassil Arnaudov who was an invaluable promoter and friend of Bulgarian vocal music. After his death the choir not only took his name bur also carried on his ideas and trends championed by his pupil Theodora Pavlovitch (who is presently the choir's conductor) and choir-master, pianist and vocal pedagogue Irina Shtiglich. The superb sound and emotional expressiveness make this CD of tenderly nostalgic and intimately lyrical songs a precious collection for music lovers.