Polyphony in the snow in Sweden

I'm a big fan of the vocal ensemble New York Polyphony, comprising (from left) baritone Christopher Dylan Herbert, tenor Steven Caldicott Wilson, countertenor Geoffrey Williams and bass-baritone Craig Phillips. Plus I've been wondering where southern Iowa's winter allotment of snow has gotten itself to. And besides,  many Lucas Countyans are of Swedish descent.

These three YouTube "vlog" segments combine the seemingly disparate elements: New York Polyphony has been recording this week in the 14th century Lanna Kyrka, in Sweden, and it's been snowing there.

I'm not familiar enough with the Swedish landscape to describe meaningfully where Lanna Kyrka (there should be an umlaut over the first "a" in Lanna but I don't know how to put one there) is at, but if you drew lines southeast from Stockholm, southwest from Oslo and north from Copenhagen, they would intersect not far from the small ancient church.

New York Polyphony has recorded three CDs --- I Sing the Birth (2007), Tudor City (2010) and last year's endBeginning, also recorded at Lanna Kyrka, featuring selections from the Franco-Flemish Renaissance and generally considered one of the top classical releases of 2012.

The CD recorded this week will include John Plummer's Missa sine nomine, Thomas Tallus's Mass for Four Voice and William Byrd's Mass for Four Voices.

So here's your chance to experience snow vicariously, visit a tiny spot in Sweden and hear some bits and pieces of glorious vocalizing.

All members of New York Polyphony are acclaimed classical vocalists, but Christopher Herbert basks in the additional glory of being a nephew of domestic diva Martha Stewart. His September 2010 wedding to husband Timothy Long was, in fact, featured in the winter 2011 edition of Martha Stewart Weddings, just in case you want to look it up.

You can also "like" New York Polyphony on Facebook here.