Get a free album when you join our newsletter. Sign up
Cover: Georgy Sviridov – Canticles and Prayers · The Red Easter

Georgy Sviridov

Canticles and Prayers

The Red Easter

Latvian Radio Choir
Sigvards Klava

ODE 1322-2 · CD · May 2018

Buy / listen

Track listing

22 tracks · 65:06

Listen to samples on selected tracks.

Georgy Sviridov

  1. Canticles and Prayers - The inexpressible miracle
  2. 1 Lord, save the pious 1:36
  3. 2 Holy God 4:52
  4. 3 It is worthy 2:10
  5. 4 Christmas song 1:21
  6. 5 Glory and Hallelujah 3:59
  7. 6 The inexpressible miracle 2:41
  8. Canticles and Prayers - Having beheld a strange nativity
  9. 7 Glory 1:12
  10. 8 Come, let us worship 2:34
  11. 9 Glory 0:43
  12. 10 Repentance of the Prodigal Son 2:49
  13. 11 Glory (quiet) 1:01
  14. 12 Have mercy on us, Lord 2:37
  15. 13 Having beheld a strange nativity 4:35
  16. Canticles and Prayers - From the Old Testament
  17. 14 King of Glory 3:03
  18. 15 The Song of Purification 3:24
  19. 16 The Lord's Land 5:35
  20. Canticles and Prayers - Other songs
  21. 17 Glorification of the Mother of God 2:04
  22. 18 Prayer to the Holy Apostle John the Theologian 4:35
  23. 19 Lord, raise up your power 2:28
  24. 20 Behold the Bridegroom Comes 3:41
  25. 21 The Last Supper 4:36
  26. 22 The Red Easter 3:30

About this recording

Georgy Sviridov’s (1915–1998) Canticles and Prayers is considered by many as one of the most important works in Russian sacred music. In this new recording Latvian Radio Choir under Sigvards Kļava offer impressive renditions of music from this collection by the Russian master.

Sviridov, a pupil of Shostakovich, began writing religious works since 1969. Since then these works came to form an important part of his oeuvre. In the 1980s Sviridov had several projects to write a liturgy or a mass. In the end, the sketches of his sacred music came to form a cycle titled Canticles and Prayers. The work was created at a turning point in the history of Russia, the perestroika years that ended in the collapse of the Soviet state. The composer was keenly affected by the events of those years, building a monument to his era. The main body of Canticles and Prayers was assembled between 1988 and 1992. In September 1997, Sviridov selected the versions he thought best, approving the final order for the first three parts and making the final edits to the score. This work remained incomplete at the time of his death in 1998. Canticles and Prayers was thus Sviridov’s last work. The recording also includes chorus The Red Easter (1978) based on a cycle of Easter hymns.

The releases of the Latvian Radio Choir on Ondine have been highly successful. For instance, the recording of Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil (ODE 1206-5) was chosen as the Record of the Month, Editor’s Choice and received a nomination in the Gramophone Awards in 2013. Also, their recent releases of choral works by Valentin Silvestrov (ODE 1266-5) and Eriks Esenvalds (ODE 1247-2) received Gramophone Editor’s Choice.

Features

Sleeve notes and lyrics in English

The artists

Latvian Radio Choir

The Latvian Radio Choir is a full-time professional chamber choir founded in 1940. Chief Conductor Sigvards Kļava and Conductor Kaspars Putniņš have led the choir since 1992. The ensemble's repertoire ranges from the Renaissance to the present day, with a primary focus on exploring the capabilities of the human voice and seeking to extend its limits. A major part of the repertoire is dedicated to contemporary music and composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. The choir is also open to creative experiments and often participates in dramatic performances and multimedia projects. The ensemble regularly commissions works from leading Latvian composers such as Pēteris Vasks and Ēriks Ešenvalds.

Full biography

Sigvards Klava

Sigvards Kļava began working with the Latvian Radio Choir in 1987 and was appointed its Chief Conductor and Artistic Director in 1992. As one of Latvia's most prolific choral conductors, Sigvards Kļava has collaborated with every leading choir and orchestra in the country, performing the great works of the standard repertoire in addition to conducting most premieres of new choral works by Latvian composers. He has recorded numerous albums with the Latvian Radio Choir. Sigvards Kļava has also been Chief Conductor at a number of Latvian and Nordic song festivals. He is a co-founder of the Latvian New Music Festival ARENA and serves as a member of its artistic board. He teaches young conductors at the Choral Department of the Latvian Academy of Music and the Choral College of the Riga Lutheran Cathedral. Sigvards Kļava appears as a guest conductor with leading European choirs. He has received the Latvian Great Music Award and the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers Award.

Full biography

Also recommended

Johannes Brahms

Liebeslieder

Latvian Radio Choir · Sigvards Klava, conductor · Dace Klava, piano · Aldis Liepins, piano

ODE 1295-2 · CD · Jun 2017

Info & buy