The Utrechts Byzantine Choir, founded 56 years ago, is one of the most famous Byzantine choirs in the Netherlands. On this CD you can clearly hear why, because here Slavic-Byzantine music is sung with conviction and at a high level. The music is set in the context of a Greek Catholic celebration. 'Greek' here does not refer to Greece, but to 'Byzantine', and the Greek Catholic Church is one of the
… churches within Eastern Christianity, which is also associated with the Catholic Church of Rome: the authority of the Pope is recognized. On this CD you can hear how the liturgy of this church in Ukraine (where the choir has its roots) sounds. Prayers and readings are sung in Ukrainian, the choir sings in Church Slavonic. The liturgy according to Saint Johannus Chrysostom has been chosen, and it is nice that it is not recorded as a collection of pieces, but as one continuous whole, starting and ending with bells. In this way the celebration can be experienced as a whole, including all prayers and readings. A fascinating example are the Bible readings, embedded in their surrounding music. The acoustics of St. Michael's Church in Schalkwijk (near Utrecht) are beautifully recorded - and so with this CD you get the feeling that you are no longer in our low country but elsewhere ... (TC)more
