Miserere

‘Voices that seem to soar. Each note clear and distinct: from the shimmering heights of the soprano to the resonant depths of the bass.’ Guido van Oorschot wasn’t exaggerating when he showered the Latvian Radio Choir with praise in De Volkskrant. The choir is without doubt one of the best in the world. In November last year, they dazzled the Muziekgebouw’s audience with Bruckner and Poulenc, and now the choir is back with Mendelssohn and four composers of our time.

In one night, Polish composer and conductor Krzysztof Penderecki wrote his choral work Agnus Dei. A good friend of his had died; he was deeply affected by it. The work is layered and poignant. The Three Sacred Hymns by Alfred Schnittke are settings of prayers from the Orthodox liturgy, including an Agnus Dei and the Lord’s Prayer. What a special experience, to be able to compare Penderecki’s and MacMillan’s Misereres.