Following on the success of their 2011 release Nordic Sounds, Peter Dijkstra and the Swedish Radio Choir return with a second volume of music in the series, this time focusing on the use of traditional Swedish folk songs in contemporary choral music. The disc's repertoire ranges from Jan Sandstrom's arrangements of improvised folk songs of the Sami people - whose singing is among the earliest continuing vocal traditions of Europe - to recent works such as the sixteen-part Kosijat by Jaakko Montyjorvi, one of the best-known contemporary composers in Finland. The disc concludes with Anders Hillborg's twelve-minute Muoayiayaoum which explores a phonetic sequence of vowels that open and close. The level of vocal virtuosity that Dijkstra elicits from his singers is breathtaking and the choir's performances are a lesson in vocal precision.

Tracklist:

Sloabbme-Njunnje
Kung Liljekonvalje
Förvårskväll
Biegga Njunnjí
Biegga Luothe
Gjendines Bådnlåt
Min Yndlingsdal
Kosijat: Intro
Kosijat: Aurinko
Kosijat: Kuu
Kosijat: Pohjantähti
Och Jungfrun Hon Går I Ringen
Aftonen
Kristallen Den Fina
Muoayiyaoum

UPC: 723385328124
Label: Channel Classics
Release Date: 10.9.12
Format: CD

Swedish Radio Choir - Nordic Sounds 2 (CD)