Cantus: ...against the dying of the light Cantus Recordings CTS-1202
Recorded at the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Shattuck-St. Mary's School, Faribault, MN, USA. Released in 2002 (USA) and available internationally through internet and mail ordering. Recording and digital editing:John Atkinson; Package and text design:Tim Takach; Photography:Melissa Sackett; Executive producer:Erick Lichte.

Composition by Veljo Tormis (1930-)

Track 6. Varjele, Jumala, soasta (God Protect Us From War) for male chorus and tam-tam (Text in Finnish from Kanteletar II 323,326) (1984) (6:12) Cantus Male Chamber Choir Ensemble (Tenors: Brian Arreola, Michael Hanawalt, Albert Jordan, Lawrence Wiliford, Peter Zvanovec; Baritones: Kelvin Chan, Adam Reinwald, Paul Wilson; Basses: Alan Dunbar, Erick Lichte, Timothy Takach.)

Origins, Commissions, Dedications and Awards

Varjele, Jumala, soasta (God Protect Us From War), was composed in 1984 during the height of the Soviet war in Afghanistan during which time many Estonian youths were conscripted into the Soviet Army (Estonian was still occupied by Soviet Russia at the time) and sent away for their obligatory military service. According to the composer, this song is the expression of the primeval Finno-Ugric fear of war.

Music Publishers

The publisher for Varjele, Jumala, soasta is Fennica Gehrman Oy Ab.

Other Points of Interest and Links

1. The CD booklet contains only the english language texts or the english translations of the works (but see the online companion below for the original texts). There is a brief note on the Cantus Ensemble and the recording equipment setup. 2. The website of the ensemble and their record company is www.cantusonline.org where there is an online companion to this recording with the original language texts. This recording can be purchased from Amazon USA, Amazon Co UK, Amazon France and from Amazon Germany as of January 1, 2003.

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