Schumann: Album with Swedish Radio Choir

Under the direction of his chief conductor Kaspars Putniņš, he succeeds in transforming supposed craftsmanship into highly expressive intensity. [...]  The “Kyrie” has something incredibly mysterious about it, the “Gloria” does not show off with fake exuberance, but rather appears solemn. The delicacy of the “Sanctus” is out of this world. (BIS label)

Wolfram Goertz, schallplattenkritik.de, 15.02.2024

Kaspars Putnins & Swedish Radio Choir beim Lund Choral Festival 2023

If there is any musical ensemble in the world that symbolizes the collective discipline and focus on what is really heard, then it is the Swedish Radio Choir, Eric Ericson's foster child and the flagship of all choral Sweden.

Swedish choirs live today on useful competition with the Baltic countries, and conductor Kaspars Putniņs from Latvia works with great contrasts within the framework of perfection. Sometimes he goes against the expected approach. His feverish focus on pulse and rhythm holds the music together. Putnins also lets things be unassuming, a phrasing where the final word becomes a dot on the horizon and faint, barely visible but magnetic to the eye. […]

The whole concert is dizzying, saturated with demanding content. Standing ovations.

Skåne Sydsvenskan, Matti Eden, 23.10.2023

Album: Rachmaninov Liturgy of St. Chrysostom

The Estonians are absolutely at home with this repertoire, and Kaspars Putninš knows, as always, exactly how to shape the music so that one section relates to another and there is always a sense of a dramatic curve.[…] This is a magnificent recording, and the Lord’s Prayer mentioned earlier, sung here of course in the original Slavonic, is one of the highlights, superbly controlled and shaped.

Gramophone, Ivan Moody, 5/2022

Kaspars Putnins’ and EPCC’s superb concert at Lux Musicae Festival Finland

Schnittke’s Choir Concerto and Pärt’s Sieben Magnificat Antiphonen (1988) were achieved seemingly with playful ease under conductor Kaspars Putnins’ meticulously exact and clear leadership. All his movements were to the point and meaningful. Communication between choir and conductor at times seemed almost telepathic.[…]. A generous choral light in November gloom.

Hufvudstadsbladet, Mats Liljeroos, 18.11.2019

CD review: Schnittke & Pärt with EPCC

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir is a lyrical giant, with a dark basic sound, which very much appeals to the ensemble at Schnittke and also at Pärt. (...) Dynamically a huge palette is to be experienced, from the most delicate, extremely fine sounds to the eruptive break-out. As a collective the formation makes an impression in a wonderfully soft forte at the peak of Pärt's Magnificat or in some perfectly pointed Decrescendo. The voicing is fabulous. Not so many ensembles are as relaxed and controlled as the Estonians.

<link http: www.klassik.com.de _blank>www.klassik.com.de, Dr. Matthias Lange, 03.02.2018

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir under Kaspars Putnins creates Alfred Schnittke's 12 Penitential Psalms compelling and spellbinding. The choral sound is completely pure, effortlessly easy even in the heights. (...) The numerous solo parts let you hear what excellent voices are added to this overall sound. (...) Nunc Dimittis by Arvo Pärt flows quietly dark and mysterious, until "Lumen ad relevationem gentium",when it turns into the most radiant C sharp major. The choir remains soundable and not overdriven in the powerful fortissimo: top class of choir culture. This choir belongs in this formation to the best in the world.

<link http: www.klassik-heute.de _blank>www.klassik-heute.de, Rainer W. Janka, 02.02.2018

Diapason d'Or for Schnittke/Pärt CD

Superlative sound captures the fantastic dynamic range and textural quality of the EPCC, from ethereal to grainy fades. (...) As perfectly sung, the Magnificat of Arvo Pärt, work of a rare emotional density in a kind predisposing rather to magnificence, and his Nunc Dimittis offer complements of choice: concise, sober and yet captivating.

Diapason, Patrick Szernovicz, 2/2018

Kaspars Putnins and EPCC in New York celebrated

Under Kaspars Putnins' direction, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir sang with a shimmering, warm blend of voices and easy mastery (...) and present and illuminated in the range of piano to mezzoforte.

New York Classical Review, George Grella, 02.02.2017

CD with Rachmaninov's "All-Night Vigil" and the Netherlands Radio Choir

Kaspars Putnins’ multi-hued Vespers interpretation, backed to the hilt by the tonal heft of the Netherlands Radop Choir’s 68 professional singers, evokes the intensity of Russian Orthodox worship. This outstanding release, recommended without conditions, is crowned with Rachmaninov’s little-known early sacred concerto, an impassioned hymn to Mary, Mother of God, The Theotokos.

www.sinfinimusic.com, 15.05.2014

Traumsommernacht - A summer night's dream

The ChorWerk Ruhr under the direction of the Latvian conductor Kaspars Putniņš presented works from romantic folk songs by Johannes Brahms (op.62) up to contemporary works including bizarre sounds and demanding rhythms. […] Highlight of the evening was by surprise the contemporary piece “Traumtänze” by Hans Schanderl. Opposing rhythms and a great amount of vocal tones required everything of the 28 singers – provoking enthusiasm within the audience.

Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Anna Ernst, 30.07.2013

ChorWerk Ruhr with their young and sensitiv voices carried the audience away to the land of yearning, the presentiments of death, the coolness of a night in the wood... Kaspars Putniņš was working for the first time with the ChorWerk Ruhr and one was assured of his qualities.

Neue Ruhr/Neue Rhein Zeitung Essen, D. Schenk-Güllich, 31.07.2013

Rachmaninov: Vespers op. 37 at the Konzerthaus Berlin

The great Latvian conductor Kaspars Putniņš made the multilayed colours of this 15-part chorus cycle shine without any Russian pathos. High, low, deep, mighty, delicate - all was set together astonishingly - magical for instance the high male voices accompanying with much caution the low, endlessly streaming and intimate alto solo.

Berliner Zeitung, Peter Uehling, 19.02.2013

Nachtkonzert with the MDR Leipzig Radio Choir

Kaspars Putniņš conducted the MDR Radio Choir's late night concert with a sense for space, for sound and for the abilities of this unique choir especially with this unique programme. Everybody who had the chance to listen to this concert had to rejoice because the highest form of musical sensuality was achieved.

Leipziger Volkszeitung, 01/2012

Rachmaninov's "All-night Vigil" with the Rundfunkchor Berlin

The great Latvian chorus conductor Kaspars Putniņš made the multitudinous colours of this cycle (Rachmaninov Vespers) of 15 parts shine without any Russian pathos. It was amazing how everything was put together, high, deep, powerful, subtle; magical for example how cautious the high male voices accompanied the deep, heartfelt and infinitely floating alto solo: a reversal of the normal use of voices, religiously and appealing.

Berliner Zeitung, 19.02.2013

Album: Rachmaninow Liturgy of St. Chrysostom

Die Neueinspielung des Estnischen Philharmonischen Kammerchors unter Kaspars Putnins besticht durch Klangfülle bei gleichzeitiger Klarheit.​[…] Putnins weckt das Interesse an der Komposition, ohne den liturgischen Gehalt zu vernachlässigen.​

Fono Forum, Thomas Schulz, 09.05.2022

Man kann einfach nicht anders, als der Faszination dieser von einer tief empfundenen Frömmigkeit geprägten Musik zu erliegen. Das mag auch an der ausgezeichneten Klangkultur dieses Chores liegen, der sich dieser weihrauchgeschwängerten Musik mit spiritueller Emphase und chorischer Disziplin widmet. Der Ensembleklang ist superb: ausgewogen, dynamisch flexibel und sensibel am Gestus dieser Musik orientiert. Das zeigt sich auch an der differenzierten Gestaltung, die dieser eher schlichten, zumeist wenig komplexen Musik eine ergreifende Darstellung zuteilwerden lässt. Die Klangfülle, die der exzellente Chor hierbei entfaltet, ist beeindruckend.

www.klassik-heute.de, Guido Krawinkel, 06.04.2022