Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Alfred Schnittke was born in the Soviet Union in 1934 into a family of Russian, German and Jewish heritage. He studied in Vienna before moving to Moscow and eventually settled in Hamburg where he died in 1998. He is better known as an orchestral composer but this CD demonstrates that he was equally capable, if not as prolific, in choral composition. The 'Penitential Psalms' for a cappella choir were first performed on Boxing Day 1988, in Moscow. They deal with the motif of original sin and include the story of the treacherous murder of Tsar Vladimir's sons Boris and Gleb, later canonised as martyrs, which their older half-brother Svyatopolk perpetrated in 1015 in the course of bloody conflicts over the succession. This work of exceptional density and rigour is performed here from the composer's autograph manuscript, which includes significant divergences from the published edition. The singing by the German RIAS Kammerchor under Hans-Christoph Rademann is excellent and the recording is crystal clear. The music is difficult to classify. My first response was to call it interesting but that word is easy to misunderstand, as is my second choice of challenging. It would certainly be beyond the capabilities of all but the most proficient choirs but once I had become attuned to Schnittke's style which is an interesting (that word again) blend of ancient and modern as well as eastern and western I enjoyed hearing it. Penitential Psalms are never going to be easy listening and when they are sung in what is to me a foreign language (German) one has to concentrate with the CD booklet open to get the sense. It is worth it and the concluding "Three Sacred Hymns" are particularly beautiful.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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