Bernd Stegmann, the conductor, studied orchestral conducting in Vienna and with Sergiu Celibidache, and is currently a Professor of Choral and Orchestral Conducting at the College of Church Music in Heidelberg.
Composer Biography
Helmut Barbe studied at the Spandau Church Music School with master of choral music, Ernst Pepping, and later became a professor at the Berlin College of the Arts.
Compositional Technique
Barbe's choral arrangements often feature individual voices singing 'meaningless' syllables instead of the folksong text, creating an 'instrumental' accompaniment that can also be humorous.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded from June 3rd to 5th, 1995, in Stuttgart-Botnang, Liederkranzhalle, with Peter Laenger of Tritonus Musikproduktion GmbH as the sound engineer.
Composer Biography
Helmut Barbe, the composer, comes from the contrapuntal tradition of Protestant church music and was a member of the Johann Walther Kantorei, Torgau, for ten years prior to his high school graduation.
Performer Biography
The Berlin Vocal Ensemble, founded in 1979 by Bernd Stegmann, focuses on 17th-century music and 'classical' modern works, and is considered one of Germany's most prominent choral ensembles.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Helmut Barbe's settings of German folksongs, which range from the 15th to 19th centuries, require a well-trained choir due to their quality and complexity.
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Brahms: Female Choruses - Schubert: Three Choruses
