(Tõnu Kaljuste and the Estonian Philharmonic Choir and the Tallin Chamber Orchestra concluded their 2002 North American tour in Toronto last week. The tour received critical acclaim, as the following review from the Birmingham, Alabama News demonstrates. See our Estonian language pages for reviews of the Toronto performances)

To hear music composed nearly 300 years apart on a single program isn't that unusual. The ancients often contrast well with the moderns.

What was so extraordinary about Sunday's concert by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and Tallinn Chamber Orchestra was how thoughtfully these superb ensembles tied Antonio Vivaldi with Arvo Pärt.

The two liturgical choral works of Vivaldi on the first half of the program were written in the early 18th century. Pärt's "Te Deum" was completed in 1985. The purpose of these works is to glorify God, and their musical forces are nearly identical. What's more, Pärt's translucent textures and meditative ambiance lend a timeless quality that speaks directly to the spiritual sensibilities of the Baroque or, for that matter, any other historical period.

This was choral singing at its very best refined, crisp, edgy, with a bright, assertive expressiveness that communicated far beyond its technical perfections. The choir's 27 voices were so carefully matched they seemed hand-picked by conductor Tõnu Kaljuste from throughout the entire Republic of Estonia. The orchestra, only 22 strong, was equally cohesive and tightly focused, most notably in the sectional interplay of the Vivaldi works.

But that's only part of the story. Vocal soloists, all of whom were chorus members, sang with enormous control and discipline. Two sopranos executed the melismas in the "Gloria et divitiae" in Vivaldi's "Beatus vir" like songbirds. The difficult scales in a tenor solo in "Pecator vedbit" were flawlessly dispatched. The entire work was signposted by a recurring chorus, performed each time with great virility.

Vivaldi's antiphonal choir became a triple choir in Pärt's "Te Deum." This work's not-quite minimalist spirituality engages, at first, through its luminous vocal sound masses constructed over a bed of minor-key string harmonies. It gradually gains intensity by means of bass heavy taped electronic sounds and a variety of solos. The gentle prayerfulness of "Te ergo qaesumus" wafting over sustained strings, a violin and cello duet and the occasional clangs of the prepared piano combined to lead the work to its passionate conclusion.

This is about as ideal a combination of chorus, orchestra and Conductor as you'll find. Kaljuste is stepping down this year from his directorship of these ensembles, both of which he founded, so this was a rare opportunity.

British conductor Paul Hillier, himself a enormous force in chamber ensemble performance, will take the reins. (Birmingham News, February 12, 2002)

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