Thios Omilos - Contrasts in German Church Music Around 1600 - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Various Artists - Tranquility / Various [COMPACT DISCS] date 10/28/1992

Simon Dent - Fantasies Schumann Britten Hawkins [COMPACT DISCS] date 03/06/1995

On it's current disc, Ensemble Thios Omilos presents prayers from the midst of religious and everyday life. The five young men sing four- and five-part settings for men's voices from the Romantic and modern periods. 'To pray means to throw one's parcel onto God's doorstep,' said Martin Luther, father of the Reformation. This statement very vividly described the inner dynamics of what happens when humans pray - they give voice to their fears, sorrows, and hopes. Some prayers become lifelong companions. With the help of prayers, humans structure their days and years, giving them meaning. They have continued to do so at very different times and in very different places. The language and aesthetics of many prayers have inspired music for almost as long. This disc features works by Gioachino Rossini, Peter Cornelius, Max Reger, Francis Poulenc, and others.