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
Tðnu Kaljuste, Taneyev's Choruses sound at once robustly mystical and lucidly expressive. While not as dark and deep in tone as a Russian choir, the
Netherlands Chamber Choir has a clarity and precision that eastern choirs often appear uninterested in producing. For fans of late Silver Age Russian choral music, this disc will be a welcome addition to the short by growing Taneyev shelf. For listeners unfamiliar with the repertoire, one or two tracks at a time might be enough. Try Suddenly a music sounded from eternity; with its warm counterpoint and austere emotion, it's Taneyev at his best. Globe's sound is clean, but a bit too reverberant.