Composer: Anonymous, Sergey Rachmaninov, et al. Performer: Victor Rumantsev, Irina Arkhipova Label: Hearts of Space Catalog: #11114 Audio CD (February 22, 2000)

On this CD:

1. Alleluia, Behold the Bridegroom (Russian Hymn) Composed by Anonymous

2. Sourp Sourp (Holy Holy), Divine Liturgy Composed by Anonymous

3. Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, for chorus, Op. 31 Lord Have Mercy Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov

4. Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, for chorus, Op. 31 The Mercy of Peace (Excerpts) Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov

5. Komm, süsser Tod, for voice & continuo (Schemelli Gesangbuch No. 868), BWV 478 Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach

6. Serenade Composed by Sergey Taneyev

7. Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, for chorus, Op. 31 Grant Us This O Lord Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov

8. Settings (8.) from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 22 Our Father Composed by Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov

9. Vespers (All-Night Vigil), for alto, tenor, & chorus, Op. 37 Gloria (Excerpt) Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov

10. Vespers (All-Night Vigil), for alto, tenor, & chorus, Op. 37 Peaceful Light (Kiev Chant) Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov with Victor Rumantsev

11. Vespers (All-Night Vigil), for alto, tenor, & chorus, Op. 37 Praise the Lord O My My Soul (Greek Chant) Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov with Irina Arkhipova

12. Blessed art thou, O Lord Composed by Russian Orthodox Chant

13. Chorali Composed by Yosif Ketchakhmadze

14. Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, for chorus, Op. 31 Amen, Alleluia Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov

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What could be more sublime than a wall of dark, rotund Russian voices shimmering against the rising, ornate walls of a great cathedral? Not much, and this compilation of absolutely magnificent music proves it. The label Hearts of Space returns on this third choral collection to the ominous Slavic chant of their first choral album, Sacred Treasures I, which gathered together recordings of stunning Bulgarian and Russian choirs portraying the sacred works of Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, and other composers. Whereas Treasures I pulled from varied sections of sacred liturgies, including solo passages, Treasures III most often stays in harmonic chant with select voices occasionally rising and rolling in polyphonic heavenly calls. The collective voice draws the emotive tension taut here, as on Rimsky-Korsakov's "Our Father," which uses the absence of darkness to later juxtapose bold, rising drama. The Kiev chant "Blessed Art Thou O Lord" sends chills down the spine as the whispering consonants of the Russian language skip across the ancient repetition like sand skitters over a stormy beach. This is a collection as breathtakingly beautiful as the Cathedral of the Dormition itself. Not to be missed. --Karen K. Hugg ----------------------------------------------------------- This is among my most favorite collections of music I have ever owned. I can't say enough good things about it, everything about it is simply beautiful. If you enjoy this type of music, this CD has a wonderful variety of sounds, melodies and moods. ---------------------------------------------------------- Superbly and majestically sung and recorded. Disagree with another reviewer on track 5; I don't think this one fits at all with the theme and spirit of the album. Track 12, The Lord's Prayer is perhaps the pinnacle - though not the most complex, surely the most reverent and spiritual. This one, plus (even more so) Peter Tchaikovsky's Cerubimic Hymn on Sacred Treasures I, back-to-back, are nothing short of stunning, overwhelmingly moving, bring-you-to-tears examples of why music of the Russian Orthodox Church is an unparalleled experience never to be forgotten; especially to the believer. Lots of other first rate selections as well.

If you know music, but particularly have some understanding of the Orthodox sense of sprirituality and have Slavic blood, this will hit you down to the DNA. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unlike so many "choral compilation" CDs, there is not a track on this album that falls victim to "schlock." Although it is an example of excellent Romantic Russian sacred music, the real highlight of the album is Gunnar Eriksson's ad lib arrangement of Bach's Komm Susser Tod. The Erik Westberg ensemble executes this performance with all the mystery embodied in the text...creating celestial overtones without bordering on New Age. As far as I know, this is the only recording of Eriksson's arrangement.If you like Bach, buy this album. If you like choral music, buy this album. If you like Russian choirs, buy this album. If you want to be spiritually revived, listen to track 5 (and then the rest of the album!) ------------------------------------------------------------- I have a number of choral and chant CD's, and I have to say that this one is my favorite. I think I like it even more than Sacred Treasures I, as it seems more melodious. A good deal of choral and chant music can lack warmth and accessibility, but not this CD. The beautifully recorded music here reverberates and shimmers.

The music covers a wide cross-section of historically important pieces, from ancient Greek Orthodox chant through early 20th Century choral masterpieces of Rachmaninov, plus one modern fantasy setting of Bach's Apollonian masterpiece "Komm Susser Tod" ("Come Sweet Death") by Scandinavian composer Gunnar Eriksson. And the Komitas-penned "Sourp Sourp" (Holy Holy) might be the most beautiful song I've ever heard.

The sacred music from Russia has always held a special place for me. If you haven't heard Russian sacred music and want to dip your toe in the water, you owe it to yourself to get this CD (and Sacred Treasures I). Warm, somber, and serene, this music glows. ================================================================================== http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000...5938526?v=glance

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Sacred Treasures III: Choral Masterworks from Russia and Beyond