"I have a number of choral and chant CD's, and I have to say that this one is my favorite. I think I like it even more than Sacred Treasures I, as it seems more melodious. A good deal of choral and chant music can lack warmth and accessibility, but not this CD. The beautifully recorded music here reverberates and shimmers.The music covers a wide cross-section of historically important pieces, from ancient Greek Orthodox chant through early 20th Century choral masterpieces of Rachmaninov, plus one modern fantasy setting of Bach's Apollonian masterpiece ""Komm Susser Tod"" (""Come Sweet Death"") by Scandinavian composer Gunnar Eriksson. And the Komitas-penned ""Sourp Sourp"" (Holy Holy) might be the most beautiful song I've ever heard. The sacred music from Russia has always held a special place for me. If you haven't heard Russian sacred music and want to dip your toe in the water, you owe it to yourself to get this CD (and Sacred Treasures I). Warm, somber, and serene, this music glows." |
