Review Summary: "We need a Messiah, who with one blow would destroy everything old, antiquated and find a new path, and the new path is to return to dim past, to ancient times and to attach to those ancient tunes an appropriate harmonization" - Tchaikovsky
Viewed in these modern times, Tchaikovsky’s desire to make a contribution to improving the religious state of affairs can be understood: by taking the initiative to create a kind of specimen on the way to a new style and form of music for the Orthodox Church. This might serve as an incentive and a motivation to renew musical resources without destroying the foundations, by nurturing and cherishing the healthy roots growing out of Orthodox traditions. It was in this context that Tchaikovsky wrote his Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, based on how Greek Catholic and Orthodox Churches understand and see the Divine Liturgy: as a conception transcending time and the world. All believers are seen as united in worshiping the Kingdom of God.
Tchaikovsky’s monumental work allows a twofold approach: it may be considered part of a worship service or objectively as a piece of traditional concert music. The present recording is of the second version – a purely musical, autonomous composition with only brief interjections by the Deacon and the Celebrant. Therefore, the number and layout of the movements are also different. The first movement is ambitious, majestic, compact, and solemn in the choir’s presentation, and unlike the others, it is in a major key. Gradually it becomes livelier, more moving, more active in rhythm, more dynamic. The second movement continues the line of praise and elevation in content but has much inner contrast in pace and tone. The third movement is a pure, warm lyrical island with an unexpected resolution in a distant tonality.
It is hard to express in words the mystery of why this music is so intimate, so human and so open. One can describe the sequential changes of silence and volume and highlight culminating episodes, but such an account does Little to convey the suggestive power of the simple harmonic sequences. We should take note that the composer has taken care to avoid uniformity, repetition, and technical intricacy. What attracts the listener is the emotional openness of each movement and the whole directness of feeling the sweetness in each voice. Â*
The substantive core of the work may be found in "Cherubic Hymn III / Heruvimskaya pesn III", corresponding to the Nine Sacred Choruses. While set many times by many composers, few have attained the emotional impression and purifying effect produced by Tchaikovsky. The only rational way to describe this impact is to refer to the composer's natural musical talent giving voice to religious values preserved over the centuries.
-About The Choir-
The Latvian Radio Choir is a unique, award-winning ensemble of professional singers that offers its audiences an extraordinary variety of repertoire ranging from early music to the most sophisticated scores of contemporary compositions. It is also a regular performer at leading musical events, such as BBC Proms (UK), the Salzburg (Austria) and Lucerne (Switzerland) festivals, the Festival of Radio France Occitanie Montpellier (France), the Baltic Sea Festival (Sweden), Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo (Monaco), Klangspuren Festival (Austria), the White Light Festival (USA), Klangvokal Dortmund (Germany), Musikfest Erzgebirge (Germany), OzAsia Festival (Australia) and Soundstreams (Canada).
