Ablaze concert

‘Tuuli’, besides being the Finnish word for ‘wind’, is the name of the new program chosen by Chorus sine nomine to celebrate its 20 years of existence. The first release at the Brucknerhaus ended up being a true party: the genre ‘concert’ lit up like a beacon without the help of fireworks. Highest quality is an obvious attribute of this exceptional choir community without a name. Percussionist Ingrid Oberkanins, conductor Johannes Hiemetsberger and director Ela Baumann managed to create subtle sound weavings that made the limits normally established by epoch and style seem like illusions. They for instance dared combinations like Veljo Tormis’ ‘Rauda needmine’ and the beat-music ‘Tipitipitipso’. The choir was outstandingly choreographed by Baumann: never used as an illustration, never used for selfish purposes, but always originating from the music itself. It was a movemented and above all a moving ritualisation of a musical process, which also gave the ‘concert’ genre a new place in the art of stagecraft. Percussionist Ingrid Oberkanins’ intervenions were no less amazing: ascetic and contrasted in nature. On this occasion she also presented a fascinating composition named ‘Ostwind I+II’. Music of the compositors Whitacre and Ligeti framed the programme, as well as Bach’s ‘Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf’ or the infinitely moving accordion-choir arrangement of ‘Agnus’, taken from Bach’s Mass in B minor which rounded up the evening and certainly created a lasting impression. This was a start towards new shores: we will certainly keep hearing from Chorus sine nomine.