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Masterpieces of Petrine Baroque Gospel Chants

by Chronos Ensemble

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1.
Gospel Stichera 7 02:31
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Lo, it was dark and very early in the morning. Why dost thou, Mary stand by the tomb, thy mind darkened with seeking where Jesus was laid? Lo, the disciples, running to the tomb, have truly seen His Resurrection in the grave clothes and the napkin, remembering the words of Scripture concerning this divine mystery. We, who believe with them and through them, hymn Thee, O Christ, the Giver of life.
2.
Gospel Stichera 8 04:32
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Mary's warm tears were not shed in vain, for she was deemed worthy to receive the proclamation of the angel and the sight of Thee, O Jesus. But still having, as a weak woman, earthly thoughts, she was forbidden to touch Thee, O Christ, but was sent as a messenger to proclaim to the disciples the good tidings of Thine ascension to Thy heritage with the Father. Make us worthy, with her, O Lord and Master, to see Thee as Thou art.
3.
Alessandro de Grandi - Jesu mi dulcissimi 03:35
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4.
Gospel Stichera 2 04:21
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The women came with Mary, carrying myrrh and asking among themselves how to attain their end, but the stone was rolled away and a young man not of this world calmed the tumult of their souls saying: "Jesus the Lord is risen. Tell, then, His messengers and disciples to hasten to Galilee, where they will see Him risen from the dead as the life-giving Lord."
5.
Giovanni Kapsperger - Canario 01:30
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6.
Gospel Stichera 4 03:25
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Very early in the morning the women went to Thy tomb, O Christ, but they found no the Body they sought. Two men stood by them in shining apparel as they stood perplexed, and said: "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is risen as He foretold. Do you not remember His words?" Believing the vision, they proclaimed the good news, but it seemed as idle tales, so cast down were the disciples. But Peter ran and, seeing, glorified Thy marvels.
7.
G. Kapsperger - Suite c-moll 06:08
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8.
Gospel Stichera 5 04:33
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O how wise are Thy judgements, O Christ! How didst Thou from the grave clothes lying by themselves, give to Peter to understand Thy Resurrection? Thou didst converse on the way with Luke and Cleopas and, while conversing, didst not reveal Thyself at once to them, being reproached as the only stranger in Jerusalem who did not know the things that had come to pass in those days. Thou who disposest all things for the good of all, didst interpret the prophecies concerning Thyself, making Thyself known to them in the breaking of bread, for their hearts were already aflame with the desire to know Thee. They clearly proclaimed Thy Resurrection to the assembled disciples; thereby do Thou have mercy on us.
9.
Evgeny Skurat - Voice, Marina Belova - Theorbo, Liza Miller - Organ - Henry Purcell - Lord, what is man? 05:50
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10.
Gospel Stichera 9 03:23
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In the last days, on the Sabbath in the evening, Thou didst appear to Thy friends and, by Thy wondrous entering through closed doors, didst confirm the miracle of Thy Resurrection from the dead. Filling Thy disciples with joy, Thou gavest them the Holy Spirit and the power to forgive sins, and didst not leave Thomas in the stormy sea of unbelief. Grant us also the knowledge of the truth and the forgiveness of our sins, O compassionate Lord.
11.
G. Kapsperger - Arpeggiata 02:25
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12.
Gospel Stichera 10 04:33
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After Thy descent into hell and Thy Resurrection from the dead, the apostles, discouraged by Thy departure, O Christ, returned to their work to their boats and their nets but their was no catch. Then, O Savior, Thou didst appear as Master of all, telling them to cast the net on the right side; and Thy word was fulfilled straight way. They took a great quantity of fish, and a wondrous meal was prepared for them on land, of which Thy disciples partook. Grant us also, O compassionate Lord, to partake of Thy mystical supper.
13.
Gospel Stichera 11 03:44
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Appearing to Thy disciples, O Christ, after Thy Resurrection, Thou gavest Peter the charge of Thy sheep, asking him to tend them with care as a recompence for Thy love. Wherefore, Thou didst say to him: "If thou lovest me, Peter, tend my lambs feed my sheep". Peter then pointed to the other beloved disciple, and asked about him. Through their prayers, O Christ, save Thy flock from the ravening wolves.
14.
Michelagnolo Galilei - Suite a-moll 05:15
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15.
Gospel Stichera 6 04:07
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Thou, O Christ, art the true Peace who givest the peace of God to men. Thou didst show Thyself after Thy Resurrection to the afrightened disciples who thought they saw a spirit. But Thou didst calm the tumult of their souls, showing them Thy hands and feet and, while they disbelieved their eyes, Thou didst eat with them. Thou didst open their minds to understand the scriptures and the Father's promise and, blessing them, wast taken up to heaven. Therefore we, with them, worship Thee; O Lord, glory to Thee!
16.
Alessandro de Grandi - Cantabo Domino 02:43
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17.
Gospel Stichera 3 03:08
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When Mary Magdalene announced the good news of the Savior's Resurrection and His appearing, the disciples doubted and, reproached for their hardness of heart, were sent to preach armed with signs and wonders. When Thou, o Lord, wast ascended to the Father, the Source of light, they preached the word in all places, confirming it with miracles. We therefore, enlightened by them, glorify Thy Resurrection from the dead, O Lord who lovest mankind.
18.
Claudio Monteverdi - Laudate 03:56
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19.
Gospel Stichera 1 01:59
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The disciples went up into the mountain for the Lord's ascension and, the Lord standing before them, they worshipped Him. Taught by His authority, they were sent to all nations to preach His Resurrection from the dead and entry into heaven. Christ, our God and Savior and the salvation of our souls, promised faith fully to be with them for ever more.

about

The late 17th century is the Golden Age of Russian musical culture. Then, in the cathedrals and monasteries of Moscow, Novgorod, and other cities, one could hear old Russian polyphony – the strochny and the demestvenny chants. The examples of this musical culture that have reached us testify to the extraordinary skill of singers at that time. Some of them also demonstrated excellent composition skills by creating new arrangements of ancient Russian monody. The striking and particular sonority of the strochny and demestvenny polyphonic styles originates from the modal znamenny tetrachord combinations. Respecting that, modal, character of the chants, their early polyphonic arrangements have developed beyond the principles of consonance and dissonance.

In the late 17th century, these gifted and well-educated musicians became acquainted with the western early Baroque style and also with linear notation (instead of neums). Very soon after, Russia developed new styles of polyphonic writing. We can distinguish two main directions of this development.

1) The concert style partes chant, imitating the church music of Monteverdi and Schutz. This style, inspired by Polish musical culture, appears first in what we know as modern Ukraine. By the mid-17th century composers and singers of this new style are invited from Ukraine to work in Russia. For the first time in the Russian music, composers give up the use of the znamenny and putevoy chant, and adhere to the aesthetics of Western harmony based on consonance versus dissonance. New techniques come into the picture, such as imitation or antiphonal alternation of choral groups. One of the outstanding composers in this style was Vasily Titov.

2) The 11 Gospel Stichera of Sunday Matins belong to the second type of Russian polyphonic music. This variety of consonant music is called “continuous polyphony”. As in the strochny chant, this style extends the tradition of polyphonic adaptations of ancient monody. “The angelic, other-worldly znamenny chant descends on earth and inhabits the four-part world of major-minor harmony, embellished with the embroidery of the partes voices, the vistuoso passages in the base part, the many-colored chains of triads, articulated by emerging cadences. This art is joyful and strikingly refreshing. Now, a whole new world of sonorities sparkles with energy, shimmering in a full range of colors, without a single rest in rhythm, yet it centers around the clearly audible, reigning sacred melody of the original znamenny chant.” (L. Kondrashkova)

The style of “continuous polyphony” differs radically from the “concert” partes chant music of Vasily Titov or Nikolay Diletsky. Instead of the resources of polyphonic imitation or antiphonal writing, the expressivity of this style lies in an amazing richness of harmony resembling that of Monteverdi’s late madrigals or Gesualdo’s responsories. All the parts develop themes closely linked to the znamenny melody (in the tenor) and follow or imitate its original and expressive rhythm. The resourcefulness of harmony and rhythm and the light and radiant texture relate this music to the aesthetic sensibility of Medieval culture, which aims to affect the human spirit, rather than emotions or sensuality, unlike the baroque affetto system. One could have a similar, “pre-baroque,” impression while listening to the sacred music of A. Gabrielli or Palestrina. In the context of the baroque aesthetics of Titov’s cantus and sacred concerti, the “continuous polyphony” partes is a phenomenon unique to the Russian musical Renaissance.

The text of the Gospel Stichera was written by the Byzantine emperor Leo VI the Wise (866-912). By that time the liturgical tradition in Constantinople had already established the reading of 11 Sunday Gospels in a yearly cycle of Sunday Matins readings. More than a poetic paraphrase of the Gospels, the Stichera of Leo the Wise carry a personal prayer to the Lord. The 11 Stichera fall into three groups, according to their subject: (1) The Stichera of the Myrrh-bearing Women ( ## 7,7,2,4), (2) The Stichera of the Apostles (## 5,9,10,11), and (3) The Stichera on the Ascention (## 6,3,1). The Gospel Stichera of Sunday Matins appear on the disc in accordance with the chronological order of described events. They alternate with the music of great European composers of the late Renaissance and the Early Baroque periods, who have influenced the development of

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released October 5, 2015

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Evgeny Skurat - Chronos ensemble Katowice, Poland

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