The program begins with three settings of one of the “signature hymns” of the Feast of the Annunciation, the Magnification “With the Voice of the Archangel.” The three settings are a two-part znamenny chant, a setting for women's trio (often a symbol of angelic singing) by the Russian composer Nikolai Tolstiakov, and a mixed choir setting by the American composer Alexander Ruggieri. All three are sung by Archangel Voices ensemble on their CD entitled “With the Voice of the Archangel” (CD I-60).
The dramatic encounter between the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary inspired the hymnographers of the Church to write hymns reflecting the dialog that took place between the two. We hear two very contrasting musical settings of the vesper stichera for the feast: the first, sung to a Slavic pattern melody by the Choir SS Peter and Paul Church in Ben Lomond, California, and the second, sung in Byzantine Chant, by the Greek Byzantine Choir, under the direction of Lycourgos Angelopoulos.
The Russian composer Pavel Chesnokov, who lived from 1877 to 1944, took yet another approach to setting this text: after the choir sets the stage for the Angel's appearance, the words of the Archangel Gabriel are given to a soloist. We hear the great Russian contralto and opera star Irina Arkhipova, who, after the fall of communism in Russia revealed her Orthodox faith by appearing on a number of recordings of sacred music. She is supported by the Russian State Cappella under the direction of Valery Polyansky on a recording that highlights the artstry of both Arkhipova and Polyansky (CD C21).
The Troparion of the Feast of Annunciation, the “theme song” of the feast, proclaims the joyful message of the celebration: The text in English is as follows:
Today is the beginning of our salvation,
the revelation of the eternal mystery!
The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin
as Gabriel announces the coming of Grace.
Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos:
“Rejoice, O Full of Grace,
the Lord is with you!”
The feast of the Annunciation is very closely connected with the service of the Akathistos Hymn to the Mother of God, which Greek and Antiochian Churches sing every Friday of Great Lent, and the Slavic Churches sing on Friday of the Fifth Week. In fact kontakion of the Akathistos, “To You, the champion Leader” is also the kontakion of Annunciation. We hear this Kontakion sung in Slavonic but to a Byzantine melody; it is preceded by the Troparion of the Akathistos, “Taking knowledge of the secret command.” The performer is the Serbian Orthodox singer Divna Ljubojevic, on her CD entitled “Divna in Concert” (CD K53). The texts are as follows:
Taking knowledge of the secret command, the bodiless Archangel went with haste to Joseph's dwelling, and said to her that knew not wedlock: “He who in His self-abasement bowed the heavens and came down, is housed entirely and unchanged in you. I see Him take the form of a servant in your womb, and in wonder cry to you: Hail, Bride without bridegroom.”
To thee, our leader in battle and defender, O Theotokos, we thy servants, delivered from calamity, offer hymns of victory and thanksgiving. Since thou art invincible in power, set us free from every peril, that we may cry to thee: Hail, Bride without bridegroom.
One of the most exalted moments of any Festal Matins service is the Exaposteilarion or the Hymn of Light, which offers a meditative reflection upon the event being celebrated. We hear the Exaposteilarion for Annunciation in a setting by Andrei Ilyashenko, a Russian composer born in 1884, who left his country and a promising career as a church composer behind because of the Communist takeover, and lived in Brussels, Belgium, in relative obscurity until his death 1954. The text of the exaposteilarion is as follows:
The captain of the angelic hosts was sent by God Almighty to the pure Virgin, to announce the good tidings of a strange and secret wonder - that, as a man, God would be born a babe of her without seed, fashioning again the entire race of mankind.
The Archangel Gabriel's announcement to the Mother of God finds its reflection in one of the most often-sung hymns - the Vesper dismissal hymn, “Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos” (or “Ave Maria,” as it is known in the West). The program concludes with two settings of this hymn - the first, by Fr. Sergei Glagolev, in a performance by Cappella Romana on their CD “Lay Aside All Earthly Cares” (CD I-63), and then the much-beloved setting by Sergei Rachmaninoff, from his All-Night Vigil, opus 37, as sung by Archangel Voices on their CD “Master, Bless” (CD I-75).
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