Baltic Voices 3 presents eight highly varied and provocative contemporary pieces by leading composers from Lithuania, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, and Poland, all enthusiastically performed by Paul Hillier and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, and various guest artists. Lest this album seem like a collection of chaste a cappella choral works for meditation or "chilling out," it takes off with a bang in Vaclovas Augustinas' boisterous The Stomping Bride (1994) for choir, harpsichord, viola da gamba, recorders, and percussion, and goes on to tweak the ear with such curiosities as the eerie Nuits, adieux (1991, 1996) by Kaija Saariaho, Erik Bergman's raucous and grotesque Vier Galgenlieder, Op. 51b (1960), and Erkki-Sven Tüür's memorably microtonal and haunting Meditatio (2003). But even the quieter pieces, such as Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen's matter-of-fact Statements, Rytis Mazulis' agitatedly chanted The dazzled eye lost its speech (1992), and Algirdas Martinaitis' joyfully dissonant Alleluia (1996), are far from serene -- only Henryk Górecki's mild 5 Kurpian Songs (1999) qualifies for that description -- so seekers of peaceful background music would do well to listen elsewhere. This album is too interesting and challenging for relaxation, but perhaps just the right thing for fearless ears. Harmonia Mundi's reproduction is excellent, particularly in Tüür's iridescent and multidimensional work. Highly recommended.
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