A New Joy: Orthodox Christmas

Review by Stephen Eddins This Christmas CD includes Estonian, Russian, and Ukrainian unaccompanied liturgical music, hymns, and carols written for the Orthodox Church, which (except for the 1990 piece by Arvo Pärt, and Mykola Leontovychs "A Song of Good Cheer," known in the West as "Carol of the Bells") were suppressed during the Soviet era and have only since then come to light. The music is for the most part written in a late Romantic tonal idiom in the choral tradition of Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, and Rachmaninov, and while some pieces have the Slavic gravity associated with Orthodox liturgical music, some have a simpler, folk-like flavor. Alexandr Kastalsky (1856-1926), Kirill Stetsenko (1882-1922), and Georgiy Izvekov (1874-1937) are the composers most generously represented, and their music, written for performance by church choirs rather than for professional singers, while not simple, is within the capability of many amateur groups and would be a welcome addition to the repertoire of Christmas music in Western churches. Paul Hilliers performance with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir is reverent and nuanced, and the choir sings with fervent energy, impeccable intonation, and vibrant tone. The sound is ideal for the music, clear, spacious, and atmospheric.