Issued: 1999
Style: orthodox music
Company: Gega New GD114
Kiril POPOV - conductor Chants from the All-Night Vigil Chants from the Holy Liturgy
The male choir of the “Sveta Nedelya” Cathedral in Sofia is one of the oldest Bulgarian church choirs, whose foundation and development is associated with the name of the great Bulgarian musician and public figure Nikolai Nikolaev. One of the founding fathers of musical life in Bulgaria, he is connected not only with the establishment of the chorus activities, but also with some of the first musical institutions in the country, such as the Sofia Opera, the Music School, the Union of Bulgarian Musicians, etc. Now this prestigious choral formation is directed by Kiril Popov, a pupil of the Clerical Academy in Bulgaria who specialized in the Moscow Clerical Academy and graduated from the Prof. Pancho Vladigerov State Academy of Music in Sofia.
The release presents his arrangements of chants from the All Night Vigil and the Holy Liturgy, strictly observing the order of performance in the Divine Service used in common practice nowadays. Together with some of the most famous chants, the CD includes some less known to the wide range of Christians practicing Orthodox music. Thus in the recording are presented Dobri Christoff (Nos. 8, 9, etc.) and Peter Dinev (Nos. 2, 16, etc.), alongside with some of the greatest renowned names of the Russian Orthodox music like Alexander Grechaninov (Nos. 10, 18), Mikhail Ipolitov- Ivanov (No. 3), Alexander Nikolski - with some litanies, as well as some harmonizations made by Kiril Popov, the choir's conductor. The authentic sounding as well as the participation of priests makes this recording invaluable, preserving the specific vocal style and character of the Orthodox Holy Liturgy and the litanies from the All-Night Vigil. The performances of the “Sveta Nedelya” Cathedral Choir make visible not only the specific character of the music performed but has achieved the characteristic emotional and psychological effect resulting from the diction and the manner of sounding.
Contents:
• Come, Let Us Worship - K. Popov
• Praise the Lord, o My Soul - P. Dinev
• Blessed Is the Man - M. Ipolitov-lvanov, arr. by M. Popsavov
• 0 Gladsome Radiance - P. Ivanov-Radkevich, arr. by Archimandrite Matfei
• Lord, Now Lettest Thou Thy Servant - A. Nikolski
• Hail. o Virgin, Birth-Giver of God and Blessed Be the Name of the Lord - Eastern chant, mode 5, harmonized by K.Popov
• Praise Ye the Name of the Lord - A. Nikolski Chants from the holy liturgy
• Great Litany - D. Hristov
• Bless the Lord, o My Soul (Ps. 102/103) - D. Hristov
• 0 Only Begotten Son - A. Grechaninov, arr. by I. Kurtev
• In Thy Kingdom - D. Hristov, arr. by K. Popov (on motifs from the Bolgarski rospev)
• Holy God - D. Hristov (on motifs from Bolgarski rospev)
• Litany of Fervent Supplication - K. Popov
• Cherubic Hymn (for pontifical liturgy) - K. Popov
• A Mercy of Peace - Inogo (other) rospev, harmonized by P. Chesnokov
• Meet It Is - P. Dinev
• Our Father (The Lord's Prayer) - Eastern chant, mode 5, harmonized by K. Popov
• Shout with Joy to the Lord (from Ps. 65 /66) - A. Grechaninov, arr. by P. Chesnokov
• Grant, o Lord, Many Years (Mnogaya leta) - K. Popov