• 16.02.2007
  • Author: Press-round-up
  • Publication: Press-round-up

EDITOR’S CHOICE                                      


“Another excellent set from Paul Hillier and his remarkable Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. They are in splendid form in Arvo Pärt’s collection of new works, unfailingly inventive sacred pieces. Small wonder that Hillier is on the same wavelength as the Estonian composer – he wrote his biography.”  


– Gramophone (Awards issue)


 


 


“Paul Hillier is an eloquent interpreter of Mr. Pärt’s idiosyncratic style, and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, abetted by resonant church acoustics, contributes the right balance of beauty and austerity.”


– Allan Kozinn, THE NEW YORK TIMES, October 8, 2006


 


 


“It’s hard to imagine better performances. And the choral recording is superb–revealing individual voices but also delivering the powerful, greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts massed vocal sonority of one of the world’s great professional choral groups.”


–  Andrew Quint, THE ABSOLUTE SOUND (November 2006)


 


 


“Music-making of heart-stopping beauty. Throughout the program, the EPCC’s singing is immaculate; the choir maintains a prodigious control of tonal color and dynamics, while evoking the awe of humanity confronted with the ultimate mysteries.”


–  Marion Lignana Rosenberg, TIME OUT NEW YORK


 


 


“Glacial harmonic progressions in the title track seemingly stop time, while off-beat rhythms and unexpected crescendos in Salve Regina create a sense of spiritual wonder.”


– John Pitcher, DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE (August 20, 2006)


 


 


“Immaculate performances, flawless sound.”


– George Hall, INDEPENDENT (August 27, 2006)


 


 


“If you know the choral music of Arvo Pärt and are familiar with Paul Hillier‘s previous performances and recordings of Pärt’s works, it’s no surprise that this current release is another first-rate effort in all respects. No matter how many times you hear Pärt’s works, each time you’re somehow carried beyond an expected esthetic experience to a more spiritual place. And that’s something Hillier and his singers know well, evidenced by their pure, unadorned affirmations of this eloquently plain music.”


– David Vernier, CLASSICSTODAY.COM


 


 


“As always with this pairing of composer and conductor, sumptuous and gorgeous.”


 – Jeffrey Simon,  BUFFALO NEWS (September 24, 2006)


 


 


“The union of Early Music specialist Paul Hillier and contemporary composer Arvo Part is an artistic match made in heaven. The performances are so idiomatically assured you have to figure this is what Part was hearing in his head when he wrote down the notes. One of the year’s best, for sure.”


 – Greenfield, AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE (November/December 2006)


 


 


“The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir is, first of all, a superb ensemble whose understanding and sympathy for this music is unparalleled. Ditto for Paul Hillier, who has literally written the book on Pärt. The recording has a grand reverberant sound, definitely a ‘cathedral acoustic.’ A successful program, beautifully produced and performed.”


– Robert Carl, FANFARE (November/December 2006)