Schola Cantorum Riga
BIO
MEDIA
REVIEW
The vocal group “Schola Cantorum Riga” was founded in 1995 as a special ensemble for the authentic interpretation of early music, especially Gregorian chant, and has evolved into a group with a very wide variety of repertoires. One of its main goals is to play music at high artistic and professional levels, which is reflected in the group's numerous concerts in Latvia and abroad, as well as on regular recordings. Now "Schola Cantorum Riga" mainly plays medieval music and focuses on the work of contemporary Latvian composers.
The group is formed by passionate musicians who love the early music and wish to play it according to the latest findings in the field of authentic interpretation of early music.
The recording "Rīgas mesa" received the Annual Latvian Music Recording Award and the ensemble has been nominated for the Latvian Grand Music Award for remarkable concert activity in 2016. “Schola Cantorum Riga” released new album “VOX CLARA” in December 2020 which received many positive reviews from the critics.
Web page: https://scholariga.com/
Medieval Chant from Lund, Sweden
Album: VOX CLARA (2020, LMIC | SKANI)
Schola Cantorum Riga, director Guntars Prānis
Gregorian chant FUNDATA EST
Album: DOMUS MEA
Hurdy-gurdy: Guntars Prānis
“...with the intensely virile sound of the male-voice choir of Riga Cathedral, we can get a vivid idea of what this music would have sounded like half a millennium ago.” The Independent
”The new recording from the award-winning Schola Cantorum Riga reveals a tradition full of exibility and variation, even improvisation – music that, far from being fixed, evolves and adapts to different countries and contexts.” The Tablet
“Led by Guntars Prānis, himself an expert in his field, this disc celebrates in the liveliest, but also most profound, fashion how liturgical music sat alongside improvisation.” Classical Explorer
“One of the best Christmas classical music CDs and recordings released in 2020” BBC Music Magazine
“There are many ensembles that sing clear, precise and smooth. There are many ensembles with lively musical singing. But there are just few groups that unite it all in the highest level. One of such groups are Schola Cantorum Riga” Die Neue Westfälische