For the troubled times to come...

[Corno Dolce]

Hello - new choral enthusiast here. Am very much an admirer of Metropolitan Alfeyev, though. For anyone interested, a link to his Stabat Mater - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzzvWCw7Jbw

Clive.

Hello Clive,

Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev has written a goodly number of works which we sometimes perform at the Cathedral Concert Hall. And the composer has such an affable yet humble spirit and extremely intelligent to boot.

Cheers...:tiphat:

 

[cjvinthechair]

He presents at least one of his works at a concert on YT - my Russian's not so good (OK, it's non-existent !) but you can tell he's a bit special...and obviously held in such high regard by the audience. Only recently discovered just how far up the church hierarchy a Metropolitan is !
Pity it's a little far to nip across to one of your concerts. Just adore Russian music, especially choral; Sviridov & Grechaninov - as good as it gets !
Look forward to learning from you, Sir.
Clive.

 

[Corno Dolce]

Hello Clive,

Met. Hilarion is third in line to Patriarch Kirill...Met. Hilarion chairs the committee involved in setting guidelines for those who want to become priests in Russia. Met. Hilarion has a Doctorate from Oxford, so he sees that the priests can be even more successful in their ministries when they have a degree in another discipline outside of Theology. Ooops, back on topic: Grechaninov and Sviridov's music quite often is used in the Liturgy at the Cathedral...You probably know that Chesnokov, one of the main Titans of sacred music in Russia was the Director of Musical Activities at the Cathedral until the bloody bolsheviks closed the Cathedral and blew it up. Chesnokov was so heartbroken by what had happened to the Cathedral...He died not long after the destruction. I'll see if there are any new youtube uploads of the choir, of which I am a member, and will post when I find them. Another fabulous choir is the Sretensky Monastery Men's Choir based here in Moscow and then there's the Moscow Synodical Choir directed by Alexander Puzakov - they are also a group that does great performances. I hope that I can help you more as time permits...

Cheers...:tiphat:


Just found some material from our Christmas Concert in January:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6eSv9_GpPI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00rTPY8v5tY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6atRd063Wlo


And here is a work by our Director:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOl_thQDg4E

 

[cjvinthechair]

Ah, Mr. CD, such enjoyable music, thank you - much of it a little lighter than what we often expect to hear from a Russian choir. Enjoyed the piece by Dr. Tolkatchev too.
Used to think I'd a deep voice before I began listening to these choirs !

Much appreciated. Clive.

 

[Corno Dolce]

Ah, Mr. CD, such enjoyable music, thank you - much of it a little lighter than what we often expect to hear from a Russian choir. Enjoyed the piece by Dr. Tolkatchev too.
Used to think I'd a deep voice before I began listening to these choirs !

Much appreciated. Clive.

My pleasure, dear Sir...

Dr. Tolkachev is a specialist in Internal Medicine...He has also received a great musical background from Nikolai Matveyev who led the Moscow Synodical Choral School but was an Architect by profession.

Here's the Synodical Choir with Maestro Puzakov conducting music by Nikolai Golovanov:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJVaR_I_KE4

Golovanov was Conductor of the Bolshoi Opera Theatre for many years and the choral works he composed, some of which you hear in the video, were only discovered within the past five years. Golovanov's music is a favorite of Dr. Tolkachev's...and when we performed Golovanov's music I was irretrievably smitten.

 

[cjvinthechair]

Mr. CD - kind of you, thanks ! So easy to miss Russian music on You Tube as so many pages are Cyrillic script only. Fortunately, due to one uploader, VitaliyGR, Golovanov & the other magnificent choral composers are well, and clearly, represented.

 

[Corno Dolce]

Aha, you are acquainted with VitaliyGR...Yes, he so kindly uploads music that would otherwise be unknown...Although sometimes he uploads the choir from the Publishing House singing the music...Frankly speaking, they're not that good as a choir but, as they say, one should be grateful........

A friend of mine named Anton Viskov studied with Sviridov, and has written lots of great acappella works. I'll dig up some and post them...

Cheers..............:cheers: