Composer Igor Stravinsky: “Music praises God. Music is well or better able to praise him than the building of the church in all its decoration; it is the church’s greatest ornament.”
CHAMBER Choir Ireland’s new concert series, ‘The Orthodox Spirit’ is a hauntingly beautiful programme that traverses centuries, countries and composers. It connects at its core by the spirit of the music of the Orthodox Church.
Audiences in Belfast, Limerick (in St Mary’s Cathedral on Thursday June 22) and Dublin will show out for the strains of Rachmaninov’s ‘All Night Vigil’, a work he composed in less than two weeks in 1915.
They will also be treated to the UK and Irish premiere of Arvo Pärt’s ‘Kleine Litanei’ which pays homage to the Irish Benedictine monk St Virgil. This work will be paired with Stravinsky’s ‘Three Sacred Pieces’ and an assortment of other works including contemporary Ukrainian composer Galina Grigorjeva.
Also the 20th century German composer Schnittke; and music from 18th century composers Bortniansky, Sarti and Titov as well as two early 17th century chants that showcase primordial Russian hymnody.
This solid programme that spans centuries of sacred composition promises to deliver “an evening of spiritual majesty and splendour, transporting audiences to another era.”
Booking for the 8pm concert in the Cathedral is by way of box office at www.limetreetheatre.ie
