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This commissioned work is now published and out for sale on Norsk Musikforlag. It was also recently recorded on CD by Canterbury Cathedral choirs & Sam Corkin, soprano saxophone. It’s also available on steaming!

One of the most prestigious boys choir in the world is The Thomanerchor based in Leipzig, Germany. One of their choir conductors was Johann Sebastian Bach! In their latest CD-release they have included my piece “There is no Rose of such virtu”.

Brilliant reviews of a brand new CD with my choral music in Sweden’s most prominent Music magazine: Opus. Ragnar Bohlin’s Vocal ensemble has recorded music that is either new or never before documented on CD.

Here’s a summery and translation:

SOPHISTICATED DRIVE!

Fredrik Sixten’s music is melodically enjoyable in the best sense.

Faith, Hope & Love

FREDRIK SIXTEN (b. 1962) knows how to manage the tonal warmth of the Swedish choral tradition. He is a prolific composer whose sacred music, especially with choir, has had a wide impact. It is is not difficult to understand if you listen to Faith, Hope & Love with its fine movements for choir a cappella.

Sixten’s teacher in composition, Sven-David Sandström, had from the beginning of the 1980’s begun to use a more melodic and romantic sounding tonal language. The lyrical sound can be heard even in these works – if the opening track Oh do not fear the darkness is clearly singable, Sixten develops a greater variety in the attractive four communion motets. Melodiousness is a recurring theme, but also a more refined harmony that is reminiscent of late Romanticism. Max Reger and Richard Strauss are not far away. In most cases, Sixten avoids more complex polyphony. The exception is the album’s longest and most

longest and most multifaceted track; Terra Mater, which offers reverent contemplation, intense polyphony and warm-sounding sincerity. The recording emphasizes the expansive reverberation of the room at the expense of detail. As many choral recordings, the sopranos dominate. Here it is primarily the tenors. Despite the imbalance, the choir is very good in this sonically sophisticated music. Moreover, Ragnar Bohlin knows how to maintain the necessary drive.

JÖRGEN LUNDMARK (originally in Swedish)

“O Nata Lux” was commissioned for the Palimpsest project. This album marks the culmination of a landmark project to re-imagine new works from old for saxophone, choir and organ. Celebrated saxophonist Sam Corkin is joined by Canterbury Cathedral Choir to bring a fresh perspective to some well-loved repertoire, recorded within the iconic surroundings of Canterbury Cathedral. Featuring fifteen specially commissioned works by leading composers. Get the CD! Also available at all major steaming services such as Spotify, Apple music, Amazon etc.

Nu har Norsk Musikforlag publicerat de 13 psaltarpsalmer som ingår i Matteuspassionen som hade världspremiär förra året, den 3 april 2022 i Maria kyrka, Helsingborg. Psaltarpsalmerna är för blandad kör (SATB) med några få delningar. I utgåvan är det i arrangemang för piano. Originalet är för harpa, cello och slagverk.

Jag uppmärksammas denna vecka i Kyrkans Tidning med anledning av min nyss släppta självbiografi författad av Rasmus Dahlstedt. Dock felciterad: det jag verkligen sa och menade var: “att utan musiken känns det ofta lite fattigare”. Det där med nyanser ligger kanske mer för oss tonsättare…

(ur Kyrkomusikernas Tidning – nr.11 2022)

Here’s a snippet from the rehearsals on GLORIA which will be premiered in Kaiserslautern and Landau, Germany October 2nd& 3rd