Stefan Klaverdal: Bright as Crystal VOS Vocal Ensemble & Robert Bennesh

• Stefan Klaverdal (b. 1975): När tiden var inne:
• 1 Klaverdal: När tiden var inne 02:58
• The Tree of Life:
• 2 Klaverdal: The Tree of Life 05:17
• Hör rösten från himlen:
• 3 Klaverdal: Hör rösten från himlen 02:27
• God be in my head:
• 4 Klaverdal: God be in my head 02:46
• Alleluia Levita Laurentius:
• 5 Klaverdal: Alleluia Levita Laurentius 04:21
• Rosa rorans bonitatem:
• 6 Klaverdal: Rosa rorans bonitatem 03:14
• Jag såg en ängel:
• 7 Klaverdal: Jag såg en ängel 02:35
• Sprickan (version with electronics):
• 8 Klaverdal: Sprickan (version with electronics) 06:16
• Gud är ljus:
• 9 Klaverdal: Gud är ljus 01:43
• Allt är så underligt fjärran idag:
• 10 Klaverdal: Allt är så underligt fjärran idag 03:42
• Sub tuum praesidium:
• 11 Klaverdal: Sub tuum praesidium 06:46
• Total Runtime 42:05

Info for Stefan Klaverdal: Bright as Crystal

In ”Bright as Crystal”, Swedish composer Stefan Klaverdal offers a radiant and deeply personal contribution to the contemporary choral canon. Performed by the exceptional Vocal Ensemble VOS under the direction of Robert Bennesh, this album blends sacred tradition with modern soundscapes in a shimmering dialogue between the past and present.

Some tracks were composed to celebrate the 900th anniversary of Lund Cathedral, and the works on this album resonate with centuries of sacred music while embracing a distinctly modern voice. Klaverdal’s style moves effortlessly between minimalistic clarity and romantic warmth, echoing influences from American minimalism, Eric Whitacre, and Morten Lauridsen, as well as the spiritual depth of Arvo Pärt and the lush harmonies of Sergei Rachmaninov.

The music — alternating between a cappella purity and subtle electronic textures — creates an immersive sound world where light, space, and reverence converge. At its core, ”Bright as Crystal” is a reflection on time, silence, and the organic beauty of the human voice in communion.

This is not just a recording — it is a sonic architecture of devotion, crafted for both the sacred space and the contemplative listener.

VOS Vocal Ensemble
Robert Bennesh, conductor

VOS
is a mixed chamber choir based in Lund and Malmö in Sweden. The choir was founded in 2015 (as Malmö Live Vokalensemble), but became VOS after a name change in 2017. Since 2018 VOS is partly based in Lund Cathedral where the choir’s previous conductor and artistic director, Robert Bennesh, was director of music.

Robert Bennesh
(b. 1986) is a Swedish choral conductor and organist, previously director of music at Lund Cathedral 2016-2024 and currently organist/choir master at Uppsala Cathedral, the national cathedral of Sweden. During Robert’s tenure in Lund he developed a wide-ranging choral program for all ages, of which VOS was the advanced vocal ensemble. VOS and Robert had a focus on performing contemporary music, not at least during the 900th anniversary of Lund Cathedral in 2023 when the ensemble was a crucial part of the collaboration with composer Stefan Klaverdal resulting in the oratorio “At the gate”. Bennesh earned degrees in church music and organ performance from Malmö Academy of Music, the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen and Yale University, USA.

This album contains no booklet.