Gloria in excelsis Deo: Knabenchor Hannover

Under the direction of Jörg Breiding, the Knabenchor Hannover (Hanover Boys Choir) performs well-known songs for Advent and Christmas set to music in a contemporary style by the Hanoverian composer Siegfried Strohbach (*1929). Accompanied by festive texts - read by the actor Sky du Mont - and organ interludes played by Ulfert Smidt, organist at the Marktkirche Hannover, this work is a unified whole that prepares listeners for the Christmas season in a both meditative and festive spirit.

Siegfried Strohbach compiled his Yuletide choral cycle Gloria in excelsis Deo especially for the Knabenchor Hannover’s Advent concerts. In addition to new compositions, he recurs to earlier works from all periods of his rich choral oeuvre. Strohbach is highly susceptible to the ensemble’s specific timbres and technical possibilities, both of which he demonstrates skilfully. He explores the choir’s various sound facets in diverse voice combinations. In this, he refrains from almost all virtuoso ornamentation and focusses on the essential: the annunciation of the Christian message of Christmas.

Knabenchor Hannover
Sky du Mont
Ulfert Smidt
Jörg Breiding

Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung – Kultur (13.12.2012, N/A):

„Unter Leitung von Jörg Breiding bringen die Knabenstimmen Strohbachs absichtsvoll schlichte Bearbeitung von „Macht hoch die Tür“ bis „O du fröhliche“ ideal zur Geltung. Ulfert Smidt steuert noch die vielfältige Klangfülle der neuen Marktkirchorgel bei, und am Schluss läuten sogar die Glocken: Weihnachten einmal nicht als Kinderchor-Kitsch, sondern als musikalische Meditation.“