Review: Organistbladet (in Danish)
Jakob Lorentzen
1. Så marken til med glæde (Sow the field with joy)
2. Hvide pinseliljer smiler (White Whitsun blooms are smiling)
Th. Laub
3. Stille, hjerte, sol går ned (Heart, be still, the sun goes down)
Jakob Lorentzen
4. Bagest i haven (At the bottom of the garden)
Jakob Lorentzen
5. November går tungt gennem byen (November trudges through the town)
Johannes Andersen
6. Solhvervssang (Solstice Song)
Jakob Lorentzen
7. Julen har sænket sit glødende skær (Christmas has set down its glowing sheen)
Jakob Lorentzen
8. Når vintermørket blæser sorg og længsel ind (When the darkness of winter blows in sorrow and longing)
Egil Harder
9. Den blå anemone (The blue anemone)
Jakob Lorentzen
10. Forårsnat (Spring Night)
Jakob Lorentzen
Tove Ditlevsen Suite
11. Spring Night
12. My heart
13. Prayer
14. Say yes
Jakob Lorentzen
3 digte af Tove Ditlevsen udsat for lige stemmer (A selection of 3 poems by Tove Ditlevsen, set for equal voices)
15. My new dress
16. Arithmetic
17. The Choice
Jakob Lorentzen
18. All Things Bright and Beautiful
Jakob Lorentzen
Korvers til kirkeåret 2003 (Choral Verses for the Church Year 2003 (extracts))
19. Vi tilbeder dig, Kristus (We adore You, O Christ)
20. Fra det dybe råber jeg til dig (Out of the depths)
21. Herre, lyt til mit skrig (Lord, listen to my cry)
22. Hvorfor er du fortvivlet, min sjæl? (Why are you downcast, my soul?)
23. Kristus, du har løst mine lænker (Christ, you’ve freed me from my chains)
24. At være Gud nær er min lykke (It’s good for me to be near God)
25. Halleluja, pris Herren (Hallelujah, praise the Lord!)
Jakob Lorentzen
26. Så bøjed den dødsdømte nakken (Then the condemned bowed his neck)
Jakob Lorentzen
27. Du, som gik foran os (You, who went before us)
Jakob Lorentzen
Korvers til kirkeåret 2003 (Choral Verses for the Church Year 2003 (extracts))
28. Herre, du forvandlede min klage til dans (Lord, you changed my mourning into dancing)
29. Herren er min styrke (The Lord is my strength)
30. Herre, vor Gud (O Lord our God!)
31. Nu lægger jeg mit ord i din mund (I have put my words in your mouth)
32. Alting har en tid (There is a time for everything)
33. Hyggelig, rolig (Comforting, quelling)
34. Herrer er min hyrde (The Lord is my shepherd)
35. Jeg vil prise Herren (I will praise the Lord all my life)
Jakob Lorentzen
36. Ære til dig, Kristus (I will praise the Lord all my life)
Danish Choral Music ©
Holmens Kirke is located in the heart of Copenhagen, surrounded by the historic buildings of Christiansborg Palace (which now houses the Danish Parliament) and the old stock exchange “Børsen” from 1625, as well as the newer National Bank, designed by Arne Jacobsen and built between 1965-1978.
It was King Christian IV of Denmark who first converted this site from a naval anchor forge into a church in 1619. For more than 400 years, Holmens Kirke has served as the Royal Naval Church. Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and her consort, the late Prince Henrik, were married in Holmens Kirke on 10th June 1967.
Holmens Kirke holds a special significance in Danish musical life, partly due to the church’s rich history, prominent location and excellent acoustic, but also thanks to the great figures of Danish music such as Niels W. Gade, Thomas Laub and Mogens Wøldike who all worked as organists at Holmens Kirke. Each year, the church attracts thousands of people for its services and concerts.
This CD showcases the church music composed by the current organist of Holmens Kirke, Jakob Lorentzen. These works were created for use in services, ceremonies and concerts at Holmens Kirke and Christiansborg Palace Chapel.
It is customary in Mass services at Holmens Kirke that, following the Old Testament reading, the choir perform a short “korvers” (“choral verse”) whilst the congregation remain standing to listen. A condensed selection of these “mini motets”, which number 140 in all, can be heard on this CD.
Holmens Kantori has, since its founding in 1862, consisted of 15 professional singers — 8 women and 7 men — all trained at the music conservatoire or Opera Academy in Copenhagen.
Holmens Kantori sing routinely in both Holmens Kirke and Christiansborg Palace Chapel, and the choir is considered one of the best in Denmark. The choir sing for all Mass services in Holmens Kirke and regularly perform for prestigious state occasions, eg. Denmark’s National Flag Day, the Palace Chapel service for the Opening of Parliament, and the Christmas concert for the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs, as well as singing at official events for the Danish Royal Family; baptisms, weddings, lying-in-state ceremonies and funerals.
Every year, Holmens Kantori perform many concerts throughout Denmark and abroad, with previous tours to countries including Norway, Sweden, Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic. In addition, the choir sing for regular radio and TV broadcasts and have recorded several CDs of church music and Danish songs and hymns.
Holmens Vokalensemble was founded in 2007 by Jakob Lorentzen. The ensemble comprises 10 elite professional singers, most of whom are selected from Holmens Kantori.
The aim of the ensemble is to explore early vocal music, often in collaboration with Holmens Barokensemble playing period instruments. The singers often perform in chamber music formations for works by composers including Byrd, Schütz, Buxtehude, Bach, Charpentier, Britten and Lewkovitch.
Jakob Lorentzen has been organist and Director of Music at Holmens Kirke and Christiansborg Palace Chapel since 1997. Jakob is in high demand as a soloist, director and accompanist for countless concert engagements both in Denmark and abroad. He teaches improvisation at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and works regularly as Chorus Master for the Royal Danish Opera. He is also harpsichordist for the Danish Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Adam Fischer.
As a composer, Jakob has written exceptionally many hymn melodies and choral works, and a great number of his works have been published by Danish publishers. Jakob Lorentzen has received numerous Danish awards, including “Schrøders Musikpris” and “Frobenius-fondens Store Musikpris”, as well as several Royal honours. In 2019 he was awarded the Knight’s Cross by Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark.
Magnus Larsson has held the position of 2nd organist at Holmens Kirke since 2021. He was awarded an advanced postgraduate diploma in orchestral conducting from The Royal Danish Academy of Music and The Royal College of Music in Stockholm, and regularly conducts major choral and orchestral concerts at home and abroad. In addition, Magnus Larsson is a composer and music presenter at the Danish radio station P2.
RELEASE DATE: December 2023
CATALOGUE NUMBER: DACOCD 974
EAN: 5709499974001
