Schumann, Robert - Adventlied; Ballade vom Pagen und der Königstochter & Cantata BWV 105 - Häkkinen, Aapo

The Helsinki Baroque Orchestra and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, conducted by Aapo Häkkinen, join forces with an impressive vocal ensemble, Carolyn Sampson, Benno Schachtner, Werner Güran, Jonathan Sells, and Cornelius Uhlen in this unique release of rarely heard choral works by Robert Schumann (1810–1856). The recording includes Schumann's 17-minute Adventlied, Op. 71, for soloists, choir, and orchestra, a world premiere recording, four choral ballads based on texts by Emanuel Geibel, and Schumann's version of Bach's Cantata BWV 105. Robert Schumann wrote in 1850: "Remember that there are also singers, and that the highest level of musical expression is achieved through choir and orchestra." This illustrates well the composer's desire to write large-scale works for this material and to create a new genre for the concert hall. Today, they remain the least explored area of his output. The sublime style he sought (in both text and music) was unheard of outside of church music. In fact, whether in church, opera, or concert hall, Schumann sought a sacred world, a meeting place of art and religion inspired by Goethe. The Advent Song, Op. 71, was written in November 1848 to Friedrich Rückert's text on the Pantheon. A sense of urgency and chromatic writing alternate with lyrical passages and almost Handel-like grand climaxes that extol universal brotherhood, and a modified initial theme recurs throughout the work.