To me the best rendition of "Fratres" so far. Meyers's phrasing is more gentle than in the previous one, and the "arc of suspense" is kept steadily due to the great play of the various voices of the violin. The ground swell provided by the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra gives a steady flow that intermingles precisely with the various violin voices.
Concert performance of the Iva Bittová Zvon project with the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava 2015.
The orchestral arrangement and rendition of songs originally composed and sung by Iva Bittová on her solo albums (e.g., on her "River of Milk" [1991]) is utterly beautiful! Bittová's voice sometimes travels into the sphere of Fátima Miranda.
In all collections of religious music this rendition by Aretha Franklin must not be missing. If you ever wondered why Aretha Franklin got so famous, here you find the reason in her church-trained voice. As she soars into the sky, you are left behind in awe until you start to jump and shout and dance... You need to listen to this record at loud volumes while, please, don't drive a car, don't operate heavy machinery, and after you placed your cuttlery on the table. The finest jubilation I've heard so far.
To those who love their J. S. Bach rough (having @tinydoctor in mind), this rendition of the chorale cantata is the best. Performed by the Gächinger Kantorei (choir) and the Stuttgart Bach Collegium (orchestra) under their conductor Helmuth Rilling, the performance is not sweet nor solemn but straight to the point. The vocalists are amazing – just listen to Adalbert Kraus (tenor) in the second movement. The most "smashing" movement to me is the fourth with the Aria sung by Philippe Huttenlocher (bass). He throws it into your face, take it or leave it! Pure smug Protestantism. :-)
Every movement has the German text and the English translation in the video description (whose imagery you politely pass over). The recording is from the early 1980s.
Iva Bittovà is a Czech violinist, singer, and experimental musician. Here she collaborates with Škampa Quartet performing a song by the Czech composer Leoš Janáček (1864-1928). Brilliant is not just Bittová's singing but the quartet's performance, esp. the virtuosity of the cellist. One of my favourite songs by Janáček and Bittová.
I see the arcangelos of Berlinde De Bruyckere and I cannot but hear Arvo Pärt "An den Wasser zu Babel saßen wir und weinten" ("By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept", psalm 137) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQxsOMuIkhw
To me the remarkable feature of this song is how the choir takes over lead vocals while Richard Thompson becomes the choir voice, only for both to now and then switch roles. I don't know any other song in which that happems. (Any suggestions?)