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Pavel Grigor'yevich Chesnokov
1877 - 1944
Russia
Pavel Chesnokov -Pavel Tsjesnokov- (12/10/1877 - 14/03/1944), a Russian composer. He was born near Moscow, to the family of hereditary Russian precentors who lived near Moscow. Graduating from the Moscow school of church music in 1895, he then apprenticed with the prominent composer Sergei Taneyev who was then director of the Moscow Conservatory. Sergei Taneyev went down in the history of Russian music as an unsurpassed expert in polyphonic arrangements for choirs, an expertise which he generously shared with the young Pavel Chesnokov.
Chesnokov was a great polyphonist. The thing is that the Russian church music, the way it exists now, is essentially polyphonic. Polyphonic arrangements became part of the Russian church music back in the 17th century. Before that, for six centuries since Russia went Christian in the year 988, monophonic music ruled supreme, just like Christianity itself, emulated from Byzantium.
Panikhida
Panikhida, opus 12, an orthodox Russian liturgy for the dead, for mixed choir.
Panikhida - Requiem no. 2
Panikhida, opus 39, an orthodox Russian liturgy for the dead.
Pavel Chesnokov published his Memorial Service (Panihida), op. 39 for both mixed choir and in an arrangement for male chorus; the latter version is featured on this recording. Although freely composed (using no pre-existing chants), this setting captures the bright, hopeful sadness of the Orthodox memorial service without undue sentimentality or dramatism. The singing of both the solosits and choir is in keeping with the liturgical spirit of this composition, as well as technically refined and musical. In a touching gesture, the singers commemorate the deceased composer (the servant of God, Pavel) in this rendition.
This Panihida (opus 39a) contains:
1. The Great Litany 2. Alleluia 3. Troparion 'Thou Art Blessed, O Lord' 4. The Small Litany 5. Psalms And Prayers To The Mother Of God 6. Give Peace, O Lord 7. Irmos, Chant 3 8. The Small Litany 9. Give Peace, O Lord 10. Irmos, Chant 6 11. Small Litany 12. Soul Of Thy Servant... 13. Spirits Of The Righteous... 14. The Augmented Litany 15. Eternal Memory
Requiem 'At peace in the fellowship of the saints
A Russian requiem of sacred songs, opus 30, dedicated to his teacher the Russian composer Stepan Vasilevic Smolensky (1848 - 1909).
It contains: 1. The Great Litany 2. Alleluia 3. Troparion 'Thou Art Blessed, O Lord' 4. The Small Litany 5. Psalms And Prayers To The Mother Of God 6. Give Peace, O Lord 7. Irmos, Chant 3 8. The Small Litany 9. Give Peace, O Lord 10. Irmos, Chant 6 11. Small Litany 12. Soul Of Thy Servant... 13. Spirits Of The Righteous... 14. The Augmented Litany 15. Eternal Memory
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