An original and exciting collection of anthems and other choral pieces written for the Orthodox Church and inspired by the Church in Russia selected by Ralph Allwood. Partly because of the re-emergence of the Church in the former Soviet Union interest in Christian musical sources alternative to the great body of the Anglican and other Western Christian traditions has grown sharply in recent years. Though the works presented here may be unfamiliar they are all masterly. Designed to appeal to choirs of various levels the collection includes a Kontakion and Ikos for the funeral service anthems by Great Russian Romantics: Tchaikovsky Rachmaninov Grechaninov; andcomposers from our age: Stravinsky Schnittke or Arvo Part speaking for a tradition outside the Orthodox Church as well as settings of the Lord's Prayer in both Russian and English by John Tavener.

Par PART ARVO. Nunc dimittis - The canticle of Simeon - interpreted by Arvo Pärt for choir a cappella./ Répertoire / Choeur SATB

Arvo Pärt's The Beatitudes – Seligpreisung composed for mixed Choir (SATB) and Organ. The Beatitudes for mixed Choir and Organ is Arvo Pärt's musical interpretation of the blessings a well-known part of the Sermon on the Mount (in the Gospel according to Matthew 5 3-12).

for mixed choir or solists (SATB) and organ. Par PART ARVO. / Répertoire / Choeur Mixte et Orgue

Composed in 1990 and revised in 1991 for SATB Choir or soloists with Organ accompaniment Part’s setting of The Beatitudes is one of only a handful of works (Litany and And One of the Pharisees also falling into that category) composed in English. Taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount as found in Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes provide a fitting structure for Part’s setting. Each verse states a godly quality and the blessing attached to it; all except the last verse begin with the word ‘blessed’.The Beatitudes was premiered on 25 May 1990 at the Nathanaelkirche Berlin by the Theatre of Voices choir conducted by Paul Hillier.