Cappella Romana - Divine Liturgy - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Japanese CD pressing. 2014.

Led by Greek psaltis Dr. Ioannis Arvanitis, acclaimed scholar and performer of medieval Byzantine chant, the men of Cappella Romana perform music for the feasts of January 1st (St. Basil and the Circumcision of Christ) and of January 6th (Epiphany, or Theophany, as it is known in the East). This collection of chants reflects the urban practice of the Great Church of Christ of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople as well as the monastic traditions that developed in Palestine. Vocal ensemble Cappella Romana combines passion with scholarship in it's exploration of early and contemporary music of the Christian East and West. It's name refers to the medieval Greek concept of the Roman oikoumene (inhabited world), which embraced Rome and Western Europe as well as the Byzantine Empire of Constantinople (InchNew RomeInch) and it's Slavic Commonwealth.

American composer Richard Toensing creates a vibrant musical synthesis of East and West with new settings of ancient Orthodox Christmas texts. Indebted to Slavic traditions, his virtuosic Choral Concerto for unaccompanied double choir and multiple soloists uses the dramatic words of St. Romanos the Melodist (6th c.) to recount the mystery of Jesus' birth. Toensing's more intimate New Orthodox Carols for the Nativity of Christ alternate between exuberant celebration and joyful contemplation as they bridge the gap between Byzantine and American hymnody. American composer and music educator Richard Toensing (1940-2014) received numerous award for composition during his lifetime, most notably from Columbia University, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts, and BMI.