Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Geistliche Chormusik – NDR Chor / Ahmann

   in Choir & Organ (Nov, 2016)
The texts throughout this disc come from the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom. Only four tracks are devoted to settings of the actual Liturgy. As always, the singing from the North German Radio Choir is impressive: it has worked with a distinguished line of conductors over its 70 years of existence, and under Philipp Ahmann continues to enhance its reputation. The choir’s ability to maintain sustained, controlled, expressive lines ranging from the merest whisper of pianissimo to a subtle crescendo is remarkable, as is the breath control required to achieve this. The overall mood of the music is one of solemnity and there is little light shining through, although at …