Veljo Tormis: Reminiscentiae

• The Tower Bell in My Village for choir, two sopranos, reciter and bell (1978)

• Worry Breaks the Spirit for choir and orchestra (1972/2020)

• Melancholy Songs for mezzo-soprano and orchestra (1979)

• Reminiscentiae for orchestra

• Hamlet's Songs I (1965/2020) for choir and orchestra

• Herding Calls - Childhood Memories (1982/2020) for choir, soprano and orchestra

Veiko Tubin (reciter)

Annika Lõhmus, Triin Sakermaa, Maria Valdmaa (sopranos)

Iris Oja (mezzo-soprano)

Indrek Vau (trumpet)

Madis Metsamart (percussion)

Linda Vood (flute)

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

Tallinn Chamber Orchestra

conductor TÕNU KALJUSTE

The ECM album featuring Veljo Tormis’ music is a testament to the life-changing creative collaboration that connected conductor Tõnu Kaljuste and composer Veljo Tormis over decades. Reminiscentiae is a kind of album of memories. The title refers to Tormis’ 2009 cycle, which consists of a series of orchestral arrangements of choral songs composed by Tormis around 1960. It is also the first album of Tormis’ music that Tõnu Kaljuste has recorded since the composer’s passing. The album includes several first recordings of works as well as new arrangements of well-known choral compositions. Kaljuste aimed to highlight the composer’s rich harmonies and the orchestral potential of Tormis’ music.

Listen: Spotify