In the Orthodox Church, as once throughout Christianity, the use of instruments is forbidden because in the past they were associated with pagan worship and could also distract the faithful during prayer. Singing, on the other hand, serves to express words—it conveys and explains the truths of faith. Russian church music is therefore a thousand years of continually expanding the possibilities of the human voice. Concerts of Orthodox music have appeared repeatedly at Wratislavia Cantans, a festival centered on singing. The solemn, elevated songs proclaiming the joy of the Resurrection and conveying the hope that flows from faith fit the theme of this year’s festival, which is celebration.

The deep, resonant voices of the Moscow Patriarchate Choir take the breath away from listeners captivated by the richly ornamented church music. The ensemble has made it its goal to show the world the beauty of Russian sacred music, which was suppressed during the Soviet era.
Performers: Anatoly Grindenko – conductor, and the Moscow Patriarchate Choir “Drewnerusskij Raspiew”

Program

  • Anonymous (16th century) Prijditie, pokłonimsa
  • Anonymous (16th century) S nami Bog
  • Anonymous (17th century) Błażen Muż (Blessed is the man. Psalm 1)
  • Anonymous (16th century) Stichera for the feast of the icon of the Mother of God of Tsar Ivan the Terrible
  • Anonymous (17th century) Stichera for Good Friday (Bulgarian chant)
  • Troparion of the Resurrection (Old Russian polyphony, 17th century)
  • Anonymous (16th century) Cherubic Hymn 
  • Eucharistic Canon (Old Russian polyphony, 17th century)
  • Hymn to the Mother of God (Old Russian polyphony, 17th century)
  • Kievan Anonymous (late 17th century) Błażen Muż (Blessed is the man, Psalm 1)
  • Anonymous (Venetian style, late 17th century) Akathist in honor of the Mother of God of Tsar Alexei I Romanov 
  • Anonymous (Venetian style, late 17th century) Resurrection Stichera
  • Dmitry Bortniansky (1751–1825) Te Deum
  • Pavel Chesnokov (1877–1944) Sowiet prewiecznyj 
  • Pyotr Goncharov (19th century) Kriestu Twojemu (To Your Cross)
  • Pavel Chesnokov (1877–1944) Prayer to the Mother of God 
  • Alexander Grechaninov (1864–1956) Fervent Litany