[KenOC]

Any work by Ephrem the Syrian (300 AD, composer of what is now known as the Orthodox church of the Levant.

Do any works survive? How were they notated? Do we have any idea what the sounded like?

 

[Biwa]

Kassia (805-865) is one the earliest composers of the Byzantine/Middle Ages. She is sometimes called the "Byzantine Hildegard of Bingen".

Here's a little background on her... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kassia

And here's a review and a little more on the beautiful music on this recording...http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/c/chr77308a.php

 

[Gouldanian]

Do any works survive? How were they notated? Do we have any idea what the sounded like?

Most of them did. They're a valued treasure of the Syriac Orthodox Church.

Here's the music and arrangement he composed for the Our Father prayer:

Here's my personal favorite (start from 1:00). This piece is stunning...

Here's another beautiful one:

And a last one (there are several other ones):

 

[SalieriIsInnocent]

Wonderful album. I think this is what got me interested in Orthodox music.

 

[TxllxT]

Boris Christoff & Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Choir, Sofia

 

[Arsakes]

Rachmaninoff's Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom Op.31 is a good one.
I liked 'First Antiphon', 'Trisagion Hymn' and 'Nicaean Creed' pieces the most.

 

[Arsakes]

Do any works survive? How were they notated? Do we have any idea what the sounded like?

I don't know too. Armenians may have saved something from that period. Armenians are the oldest survived branch of Christianity and also as people an ancient Civilization like China (not as old though).

 

[science]

This is the best Byzantine chant series I have ever heard. They are very well recorded, austere, and with beautiful voices. The were made by monks of the Vatopedi monastery at Mount Athos and the University of Crete. I'm sure the fact that the University of Crete took part in this recording contributed to their value, which is both artistic and historical.

Those are good. Great find!

 

[Klavierspieler]

Here are a couple of chants in English:

God is With Us
Trisagion Hymn
This is the Day of Resurrection

 

[TodorYankov]

This is a work of the medieval Byzantine composer of Bulgarian origin John Koukuzelis. It is Axion Estin, a hymn to the Virgin Mary. The language is old Bulgarian.

This is his most famous work - "Polyeleos to the Bulgarian Woman", whitch he wrote for his mother.

 

[Barelytenor]

And poor Chesnokov who had been Director of Choral Music at Christ the Saviour Cathedral for many years became utterly heartbroken when he saw from his living room window how the godless Bolsheviks dynamited the Cathedral - He died shortly after witnessing the act.

No question that he was heartbroken and stopped composing, but the cathedral was destroyed in 1931. Chesnokov died in 1944, according to what I read. @Ilarion, you are in Moscow. Surely you have been to the now-rebuilt cathedral. Do you like it? How does it compare to the original in your opinion?

:tiphat:

Kind regards,

George

 

[Classical Gas]

I quickly found plenty of YouTubes of Marie Kayrouth. I never heard of her before -- amazing vocals. She also has recorded Maronite Christian music (from Lebanon), which is interesting.

This is the "Chant Byzantin" which science mentioned:

 

[Sam Ealy Johnson Jr]

Is anyone here familiar with Nouri Iskander's choir from Aleppo? This Syriac chant begins around 1:20. Apparently, it is actually in Aramaic. Does anyone know the name of the chant and whether it has been recorded?