“Formal orgies” was Strauss’s phrase – only it’s better in German, Gestaltungsorgien. In the whole choral repertoire, it’s hard to think of anything that more luxuriates in sheer sound. That is the sensual, the orgiastic part. The formality lies in the controlling hand, the strong consciousness of textual demands and of musical themes and motifs to be stated, developed and brought into relationship. All is wonderfully well accomplished in each of these works but with surpassing mastery in the Deutsche Motette to words, from the Persian, by Rückert. The programme opens with this – which may be a mistake, as it often is to put the best first.

The Latvian performance’s distinction, in comparison with the two other recordings at hand, is in blend, or rather the natural weighting of the various elements so that the sound is as you would hope to hear it from an advantageous seat (not too near the front) in the concert hall. The others are, respectively, an English one under Stephen Cleobury (Collins Classics – nla) and a Danish under Stefan Parkman (Chandos, 5/94). Both of these have their soloists placed prominently and the 16-part choir relatively recessed. This is so, but somewhat less markedly, with the Danes, who favour quick speeds. Going back to the new version, one feels the blessing of repose and reintegration, grateful nevertheless for having been through the more analytical processes involved in listening to the others.

This a fine choir – or combination of choirs – tone both gentle and firm, and with a sensitivity to the shadings and modulations so richly characteristic of Strauss’s choral writing. It’s rather short measure, that is the main fault, and the excellence of the men’s voices in Traumlicht makes one wish all the more that the programme had been extended to include, at least, the other two choruses from the group for male-voice choir.