Early Russian Plain Chant

On this CD:

1. Come and Worship our Lord
Composed by Znamenny Chant

2. My soul bless the Lord, for Four Voices
Composed by Gzigue Chant

3. Happy is the man
Composed by Strotchny Chant

4. Presentation of the Lord
Composed by Strotchny Chant

5. Peaceful Light
Composed by Anonymous

6. May my prayer arise to thee
Composed by Anonymous

7. Praise the name of the Lord
Composed by Strotchny Chant

8. Magnificat, for Three Voices
Composed by Strotchny Chant

9. Magnificat, for Four Voices
Composed by Partessian Chant

10. Hymn to the Mother of God
Composed by Tzar Alexei Mikhailovitch

11. Glory be to thee O Lord Son of the Living God
Composed by Anonymous

12. Cherubim - Hymnus
Composed by Anonymous

13. Eucharistic Chant
Composed by Strotchny Chant

14. Hymn to the Mother of God
Composed by Anonymous

15. Praise the Lord, Verses for Sunday Communion
Composed by Anonymous

16. Eat of the bread and you will see
Composed by Anonymous

17. Hymn to the Mother of God
Composed by Strotchny Chant

18. Te Deum
Composed by Dimitry Stepanovich Bortnyansky

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Opus 111's first disc of medieval Russian plainchant and polyphony surveys the various styles that Anatoly Grindenko and his choir explore in depth on subsequent recordings. There are examples of znamenny chant (the Russian equivalent of Gregorian plainsong, more recognizably melodic than the Western equivalent) as well as the extraordinary indigenous polyphony that developed in 17th-century Russia. The largely homophonic strochny and melismatic demestvenny styles lack any concept of Western-style consonance and dissonance (chords are more likely to be built on seconds than thirds); partesny ("part-singing") chants have a simple chordal style very like Western fauxbordon. The disc ends with an 18th-century Tebe Bozhe khvalim (Te Deum) by Bortniansky full of the newly dominant Western influence--in this context, it sounds very gaudy (as Grindenko probably intended). --Matthew Westphal --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Tracks:

Come And Worship Our Lord
My Soul, Bless The Lord
Happy Is The Man
Presentation Of The Lord
Peaceful Light
May My Prayer Rise To Thee
Praise The Name Of The Lord
Magnificat
Magnificat
Hymn To the Mother Of God
Glory Be To Thee, O Lord
Cherubim
Cucharistic Chant
Hymn To The Mother Of God
Praise The Lord
Eat Of The Bread
Hymn To The Mother Of God
Te Deum

Amazon.com

Opus 111's first disc of medieval Russian plainchant and polyphony surveys the various styles that Anatoly Grindenko and his choir explore in depth on subsequent recordings. There are examples of znamenny chant (the Russian equivalent of Gregorian plainsong, more recognizably melodic than the Western equivalent) as well as the extraordinary indigenous polyphony that developed in 17th-century Russia. The largely homophonic strochny and melismatic demestvenny styles lack any concept of Western-style consonance and dissonance (chords are more likely to be built on seconds than thirds); partesny ("part-singing") chants have a simple chordal style very like Western fauxbordon. The disc ends with an 18th-century Tebe Bozhe khvalim (Te Deum) by Bortniansky full of the newly dominant Western influence--in this context, it sounds very gaudy (as Grindenko probably intended). --Matthew Westphal