Music from the Orthodox Liturgy
Music from the Orthodox Liturgy
Conductor: Alexis P. Fekula 
Engineering: David Hancock
Cover design: Kiril Katkov from a painting by Mr. Katkov
Recorded at: Cathedral of the Incarnation (Episcopal)
in Garden City, NY
Playlist
- The Great Litany – S. V. Smolensky
- First Antiphon "Bless my Soul, O Lord" – A. T. Grechaninov
- Second Antiphon "Praise the Lord, O My Soul" – A. T. Grechaninov
- O Only Begotten Son (Serbian Chant) – A. D. Kastalsky
- The Beatitudes – S. Panchenko
- O Come, Let Us Worship – P. G. Chesnokov
- Trisagion – S. Panchenko
- Cherubimic Hymn – P. G. Chesnokov
- The Nicene Creed (Alto solo: Tamara Bering) – A. T. Grechaninov
- The Anaphora (A Mercy of Peace) (Znamenny Chant) – A. D. Kastalksy
- Worthy in Truth (Hymn to the Theotokos) (Serbian Chant) – A. D. Kastalsky
- The Angel Cried (Hymn to the Theotokos) Soprano solo: Ludmilla Azova) – P. G. Chesnokov
- Litany of Petitions – S. V. Rachmaninov
- The Lord's Prayer – N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov
- How Good it is – Psalm 132 (133) – M. Ippolitov-Ivanov
- Blessed is He that Cometh – P. G. Chesnokov
- Many Years – A. T. Grechaninov
The Performers
Conductor: Alexis P. Fedula – a student of Constantine Shvedov, Kyriena Ziloti and Alexei Heieff. Mr. Fekula is the permanent conductor of the Slavonic Cappella Ensemble.
First Soprano: Ludmilla Azova, Stephanie Turash, Raina Simeonova, Claudia Yaroshevich-Gill.
Second Soprano: Svetlana Tonkaschkur, Christine Karpevych, Elizabeth Markovsky.
Mezzo Soprano: Tamara Bering, Elizabeth Farmer, Natasha Lutov.
First Tenor: Kiril Vassilev, Maxim Bartko, Edward Kaminsky, Dan Entriken.
Second Tenor: Nikita Wells, George Bohachevsky, George Tymczenko.
Baritone: Michael Minsky, Joseph Stecura, Alexander Lapkovski.
Bass: Terrenty Sokoloff, Peter Raikov, Ronald Armstrong.
Bass Profundo: Vladimir Tysowsky, Igor Zamiaty.
About
The ritual of the Eastern Orthodox Church derives much of its awesome splendor from the ancient chants and folklore of the Slavic peoples. Within the setting of the Service, this music reflects profound piety, soaring exultation and an almost unbelievable mystical lyricism. Understanding that the vocal and artistic demands of this repertoire requires the most accomplished and technically proficient interpretation.
The Slavonic Arts Society in 1965 organized the Slavonic Cappella Ensemble to present and resurrect what is best in this rich, demanding and neglected heritage. This unique Ensemble is made up of outstanding vocal soloists who have performed as lead artists with the New York City Opera Company, the Rome Opera, the New York Philharmonic, the Salzburg Festival, the Berlin Opera, the Vienna Staatsopera, the San Francisco Opera, the NBC Opera Company, the Chicago Lyric Opera, the Philadelphia Opera and in recitals in major concert halls of the world and with major orchestras here and abroad.
It is an inspiration and a tribute to these artists to behold the manner in which they have subordinated their individual and distinctive performing personalities while dedicating their vocal and artistic powers to the demands of religious music. In this recording, the Ensemble examines various directions in Orthodox Church singing at the end of the last century and the beginning of the current century.
Source: LP Cover
