Time was when this repertoire was the preserve of Russian choirs.
No more; one only has to sample the richly idiomatic singing of the
Phoenix Bach Choir and Kansas City Chorale to know that American ensembles
are now as accomplished as their Eastern rivals (review).
Conspirare, founded in Austin, Texas, is no exception; under musical
director Craig Hella Johnson they’ve recorded a number of choral
collections, which are notable for their eclecticism and polish. Indeed,
Simon Thompson and John Quinn both wrote glowingly of their Barber
disc (review).
I came across this new release quite by accident, and soon realised
it demanded a review.
The thousand-year-old Orthodox tradition has developed and endured,
and it’s this vein that the ‘New Russian Choral School’
tapped into in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I’m indebted
to Vladimir Morosan for his scrupulously annotated but very readable
booklet essay, which delves into the music of this important church
festival; I particularly relish - and respond to - its unique amalgam
of worship and theatre. This recording attempts to recreate a typical
Orthodox Christmas service, beginning with what is known as The Great
Doxology. From the outset Conspirare sing with thrilling weight and
accuracy; also, the acoustic of this Texas church provides a near-ideal
performing space for the feast of antiphons, hymns and prayers that
follows.
Especially impressive in this Alexander Kastalsky opener is the fine
choral tapestry, woven from the most luminous threads. The sense of
occasion - so important in this music - is palpable, and the solidity
and blend of these singers is just remarkable. As for the texts of
the ensuing Liturgy of the Word it’s as if they are lit from
within by a steady, ancient light. Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov’s
‘Bless the Lord, O My Soul’ really captures that air of
something vast and venerable, while Alexander Tikhonovich Grechaninov’s
‘Glory ... / Only Begotten Son’ brings mounting fervour
to the mix. In contrast the sopranos that crown Vladimir Martynov’s
Beatitudes are wonderfully elevated and ethereal; indeed, their celestial
tones seem to hang, as if suspended, high above the gently rocking
choir.
This is just one of the many musical and spiritual epiphanies on this
disc; the two Kastalsky contributions that bring The Liturgy of the
Word to a close may be a little less inspired, but Conspirare imbue
them with a simple, heartfelt conviction that’s very hard to
resist. Next up is The Liturgy of the Faithful, which opens with Pavel
Chesnokov’s aptly named ‘Cherubic Hymn’. Happily
it’s all captured in sound of great depth and detail; also,
the music’s dynamic shifts and shadings are managed with rare
aplomb. Such a sense of scale and space is vital, and both are here
in abundance. As for the quiet, pliable chant of Grechaninov’s
setting of the The Creed it’s another of those breath-stopping
moments where all artifice falls away and one is left trembling on
the brink of sublimity.
The lightish male soloists may not be as steady or as deep-chested
as their Russian counterparts, but they’re suitably plangent
in the chants of Kastalsky’s ‘A Mercy of Peace’
and ‘Hymn to the Mother of God on the Nativity’. True,
these settings aren’t all memorable, but that matters little
when they’re sung with such finesse and feeling. And just when
one’s concentration might waver Alexander Tikhonovich returns
with a radiant ‘Our Father’ that calms the heart and cossets
the soul.
Some of The Sacred Concertos aren’t so engaging either, although
the ecstatic ‘Hallelujahs’ of Georgi Sviridov’s
‘Wondrous Birth’ are incisively sung. There are no such
caveats about Grechaninov’s ‘Now the Powers of Heaven’
- familiar from his Passion Week - which combines low-end gravitas
with high-lying splendour. Here Conspirare yield little, if anything,
to the Phoenix and Kansas choirs. Yes, a slightly darker, weightier
sound wouldn’t go amiss, but then Conspirare’s diction
is excellent and their delivery is impeccable throughout. Glenn Miller’s
basso profundo is certainly dark enough in Chesnokov’s ‘Do
Not Cast Me Off In My Old Age’, which at times has the drowsy
cadences of Yeats’s lovely lines: ‘When you are old and
grey and full of sleep / And nodding by the fire…’.
The service ends with The Closing of the Liturgy; Rachmaninov’s
‘Let Our Mouths Be Filled’ is dignified, and the stratospheric
voices of ‘Blessed Be the Name of the Lord’ ring with
almost terrifying fervour. The undisputed star of this disc must be
Grechaninov, whose gorgeous ‘Preserve, O Lord, For Many Years’
shines with such a pure, inspiriting light. Nikolai Kedrov Sr’s
‘Our Father’ is pretty marvellous too; its air of quiet
certainty is entirely fitting at this juncture and, much moved, I
sat in silence long after the last ‘Amen’ had faded.
One of the pleasures of reviewing is discovering new music and music-makers;
for me that’s particularly true of a cappella collections
such as this. I’m simply awed by the standard of choral singing
today, whether it be from Kiev, Kansas or all points in between. As
for Craig Hella Johnson he’s certainly turned Conspirare into
a top-notch ensemble; that makes them a good fit for Harmonia Mundi,
whose high production values are as impressive as ever.
Conspirare breathe new life into this repertoire; a joy from start
to finish.
Dan Morgan
http://twitter.com/mahlerei
Review copy courtesy of eClassical.com as download
Track-listing
FROM THE MATINS SERVICE
Alexander KASTALSKY (1856-1926)
The Great Doxology No. 2, Op.57 (7:38)
FROM THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
Mikhail IPPOLITOV-IVANOV (1859-1935)
Bless The Lord, O My Soul (Liturgy, Op. 37, No. 2) [2:40]
Alexander GRECHANINOV (1864-1956)
Glory ... / Only Begotten Son (Liturgy No. 2, Op. 29,
No. 2) [2:35]
Vladimir MARTYNOV (b. 1946)
The Beatitudes [5:16]
Pavel CHESNOKOV (1877-1944)
Come, Let Us Worship, Op. 8, No. 2 [1:47]
Georgi SVIRIDOV (1915-1998)
Christmas Troparion: Inexpressible Wonder, No. 4 [1:23]
Alexander KASTALSKY
Today the Virgin, Op. 7b (Znamenny Chant) [1:54]
As Many Have Been Baptized, Op. 18c (Znamenny Chant) [2:14]
FROM THE LITURGY OF THE FAITHFUL
Pavel CHESNOKOV
Cherubic Hymn, Op. 7, No. 1 [4:35]
Alexander GRECHANINOV
The Creed (Liturgy No. 2, Op. 29, No. 8) [4:30]
Alexander KASTALSKY
A Mercy of Peace (Znamenny Chant), Op. 6 [7:44]
Hymn to the Mother of God for the Nativity (Znamenny Chant) [2:28]
Alexander GRECHANINOV
Our Father (Liturgy No. 2, Op. 29, No. 11) [4:43]
Pavel CHESNOKOV
Praise the Lord from the Heavens (Liturgy, Op. 42, No. 9) [2:07]
SACRED CONCERTOS
Georgi SVIRIDOV
A Wondrous Birth (A Wondrous Birth, No. 7) [3:57] 3:57
Andrei ILYASHENKO (1884-1954)
We Should Choose to Love Silence (Concerto for the Nativity of Christ)
[3:03]
Alexander GRECHANINOV
Now the Powers of Heaven (Passion Week, Op. 58, No. 6) [5:08]
Pavel CHESNOKOV
Do Not Cast Me Off In My Old Age, Op. 40, No. 5* [4:48]
CLOSING OF THE LITURGY
SERGEI RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Let Our Mouths Be Filled (Liturgy, Op. 31, No. 18) [4:31]
Blessed Be the Name of the Lord (Liturgy, Op. 31, No. 19) [0:46]
Alexander GRECHANINOV
Preserve, O Lord, for Many Years (Liturgy, Op. 79) [1:05]
Nikolai KEDROV Sr (1871-1940)
Our Father [2:57]
*Glenn Miller (basso profundo)
