Conspirare & Craig Hella Johnson – The Sacred Spirit of Russia (2014)

To understand and partake of the ‘Sacred Spirit of Russia’ requires one, first and foremost, to experience the beauty and splendour of the Russian Orthodox liturgy, which has been an integral part of the Eastern Slav identity for over 1000 years. The sacred music of the New Russian Choral School features sublime settings of the liturgy that draw on a rich history of Orthodox chants and native traditions, creating music of unprecedented colour and textural richness. Following the lead of Tchaikovsky, composers such as Kastalsky, Gretchaninov, Chesnokov, Rachmaninov and a host of others have left us a treasure-trove of musical delights.

Craig Hella Johnson and the 35-strong Conspirare (featuring the astounding basso profundo Glenn Miller) present a glorious sampling of some of the finest works in this genre including Martynov’s mesmerising ‘Beatitudes’ for three sopranos and choir and Kedrov’s setting of the Lord’s Prayer.

Conspirare’s esteemed language coach is the editor of Musica Russica, Vladimir Morosan who has also written the booklet notes. The only ‘inauthentic’ part of this HighResAudio recording for harmonia mundi USA is the spot-on intonation.

“Russian Orthodox church music seems to sit as unmovable as the architecture in which it was first sung. But that is not to say that every piece sounds the same, as the American choral group Conspirare’s fine recital shows.” (The Sunday Times)

„Judged on repertoire choice, The Sacred Spirit of Russia scores over Russian Treasures. When it comes to performance, both choirs deliver the goods. Conspirare just edge it for me over Tenebrae, thanks to their honest compassion and wholehearted engagement with words and music. Listen, for example, to their rapt intensity in Sviridov’s A Wondrous Birth and extraordinary presence in Kastalsky’s dramatic A Mercy of Peace. Other highlights include Vladimir Martynov’s recent setting of The Beatitudes, for three female soloists and wordless choral accompaniment, and Chesnokov’s Cherubic Hymn. The album’s spiritual energy flows most freely in a moving sequence of works written for the Russian Orthodox Christmas Liturgy of the Faithful, sufficiently strong to shift the open-hearted listener’s attention away from preoccupation with self towards feelings for the divine.“(Andrew Stewart, Sinfini)

Tracklist:
01. The Great Doxology No.2, Op. 57
02. Bless the Lord, O My Soul, Op. 37, No.2
03. Glory-Only Begotten Son, Op. 29, No.2
04. The Beatitudes
05. Come, Let Us Worship, Op. 8, No.2
06. Christmas Troparion (Inexpressible Wonder, No.4)
07. Today the Virgin (Znamenny Chant), Op. 7b
08. As Many Have Been Baptized (Znamenny Chant), Op. 18c
09. Cherubic Hymn, Op. 7, No.1
10. The Creed, Op. 29, No.8
11. A Mercy of Peace (Znamenny Chant), Op. 6
12. Hymn to the Mother of God for the Nativity (Znamenny Chant)
13. Our Father, Op. 29, No.11
14. Praise the Lord from the Heavens, Op. 42, No.9
15. A Wondrous Birth (A Wondrous Birth, No.7)
16. We Should Choose to Love Silence (Concerto for the Nativity of Christ)
17. Now the Powers of Heaven, Op. 58, No. 6
18. Do Not Cast Me Off in My Old Age, Op. 40, No. 5
19. Let Our Mouths Be Filled, Op. 31, No. 18
20. Blessed Be the Name of the Lord, Op. 31, No. 19
21. Preserve, O Lord, for Many Years, Op. 79
22. Our Father

Personnel:
Conspirare
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor
Glenn Miller, basso profundo (on track 18)