Erkki-Sven Tüür, Brett Dean: Gesualdo

 

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

Tallinn Chamber Orchestra

cond. Tõnu Kaljuste

ECM New Series 2452

Album "Gesualdo" was announced as one of the Grammy nominees in the Best Classical Compendium category at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards 2017

 

(---)Erkki-Sven Tüür contributes two pieces. ‘Psalmody’ is an attractive extended piece of minimalism, its rhythms and melodic shapes inspired by early European art music more than the American West Coast. […]  ‘L'ombra della croce’, scored for strings, scales ecstatic heights. You're reminded of Tippett's ’Corelli Fantasia’. It's passionately played by Tõnu Kaljuste's marvellous Tallinn Chamber Orchestra. They also give us two exquisite string transcriptions of Gesualdo choral works, one by Kaljuste and one by Tüür. Fantastic, and already in my Best of 2015 list.
Graham Rickson, The Arts Desk

(---) The other Gesualdo item (‘O crux benedicta’ from ‘Sacrarum cantionum liber primus’ of 1603) is also heard in a transcription for strings made this time by Erkki-Sven Tüür and provides the basic material for Tüür's L'ombra della croce composed for this recording. It is a free fantasia on Gesualdo's theme […] The final item here is not related in any way to Gesualdo; at least not as far as I can make out. ‘Psalmody’ has had a rather chequered genesis and has been subject of a number of revisions and re-workings before achieving the form heard here […] This relatively early work remains one of the most attractive and endearing entries in his catalogue. I wish that it was heard more often. This intelligently planned and superbly performed programme is a pure delight from first to last.
Hubert Culot, Music Web International