Notes
"The Orthodox Divine Liturgy: Master, Bless!" is a unique, ground-breaking recording: the first English-language CD to present the Orthodox Divine Liturgy in it's most solemn and majestic form-when a bishop serves. Listeners to this CD have described it in superlative terms: "The best recording of Orthodox liturgical music in English to date!" -Fr. George Taweel "An aural image of angelic worship...' --Fr. Sergei Glagolev 'A marvelous recording' --David Drillock "Master, Bless!" is Archangel Voices at their best. --Valerie Yova 'A moving spiritual and musical experience' --James Meena Works by modern-day Orthodox composers Maia Aprahamian, Roman Hurko, Ivan Moody, and Alexander Ruggieri, alternate with English adaptations by such Orthodox masters as Chesnokov, Gardner, Gretchaninoff, Kastalsky, Nikolsky, and Rachmaninoff. The hierarchal elements of the service are represented by fresh, new compositions and English-language adaptations of the special hymns for the entrance and vesting of the bishop, the hierarchal Trisagion, and the Office of Ordination. Choral settings are presented alongside traditional antiphonal hymns, in which verses alternate with congregational-style refrains, leading a prominent Orthodox missionary-minded priest to term this CD '...extremely useful for any parish that is serious about congregational participation...A ministry to Orthodox churches all around the English speaking world.' The Orthodox Divine Liturgy is an earthly embodiment of the Kingdom of Heaven: in it all the arts combine to bring all the human senses into an experience of the divine. This recording project was extraordinarily blessed by being located in the resplendent physical and acoustical surroundings of St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Orange, Connecticut. Standing on a white marble dais, under an all-encompassing Byzantine-style dome bearing an image of Christ the Pantocrator, surrounded on every side by icons, it was easy for the singers to be "standing on earth, yet imagine themselves to be in heaven," and to sing appropriately. Archangel Voices began in 2003 as a collaborative idea between it's Founder and Artistic Director, Vladimir Morosan, and Fr. Sergius Halvorsen. The success of their first CD, "With the Voice of the Archangel," led to an expansion of the group from eight, to twelve, to sixteen voices, and the release of two other CDs-- Christ Is Born! Give Glory!' and "Resurrection!" Archangel Voices is a professional-level vocal ensemble whose goal is to create high-quality recordings of Orthodox liturgical music in the English language, giving special emphasis to the creations of contemporary composers and arrangers, both living and recently deceased. Through it's CDs, we aim to bring the beauty of Orthodox liturgical music before a wide audience of listeners, to serve as a vehicle for spreading the Orthodox faith through music, and to embrace various traditions and styles of Orthodox church music as they are manifest in the practice of parishes in North America. By offering a high-quality model of choral excellence, we hope to inspire singers throughout the English-speaking world to offer their best God-given talents in praise and worship.
Tracks
1.1 From the Rising of the Sun 1.2 It Is Truly Fitting 1.3 Ton Despotin 1.4 The Prophets Proclaimed You 1.5 Let Your Soul Rejoice 1.6 Lord, Preserve Our Master 1.7 Bless the Lord, O My Soul 1.8 Praise the Lord, O My Soul 1.9 Only Begotten Son 1.10 In Your Kingdom - Vladimir Morosan 1.11 Come, Let Us Worship - Russian Greek; Chant 1.12 Eis Polla - Priest Georgi Izvekov 1.13 O Lord, Save and Holy God - Maia Aprahamian 1.14 Cherubic Hymn - Sofroniev Melody, Arr. Pavel Chesnokov 1.15 O Holy Martyrs - Common Russian Chant 1.16 Lord, Have Mercy - Alexei Lvov 1.17 Axios; He Is Worthy - Johann Von Gardner 1.18 A Mercy of Peace - Znamenny Chant, Arr. Kovalevsky 1.19 We Praise Thee - Znamenny Chant, Arr. Kovalevsky 1.20 The Hymn to the Theotokos - Roman Hurko 1.21 The Lord's Prayer - Nikolai Kedrov, SR 1.22 One Is Holy; Praise the Lord from the Heavens - a. Ruggieri 1.23 Praise the Lord from the Heavens - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov 1.24 Praise the Lord from the Heavens - V. Morosan/A. Schoepp 1.25 Come, Bless the Lord - Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov 1.26 Behold, How Good - Johann Von Gardner 1.27 Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice - Sergei Rachmaninoff 1.28 Receive Me Today - Frederick T. Karam 1.29 Receive the Body of Christ - Evstafy Azeyev 1.30 We Have Seen the True Light; Let Our Mouths Be Filled - Bulgarian Chant, Arr. V. Morosan 1.31 I Will Bless the Lord at All Times - Carpatho-Rusyn Melody 1.32 Preserve, O Lord - Alexandre Gretchaninoff 1.33 Many Years to You, O Master - Dmitry Bortniansky
