Icons in Sound 018 - The Nativity of the Theotokos
Written by Vlad Morosan
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As with many other feasts, we are still lacking recordings of the festal hymnography in English. Therefore, as is our practice, we offer English translations of the various foreign-language selections on the program, so listeners can follow along.
The program begins with the Troparion of the feast:
Your nativity, O Virgin, has brought joy to the whole universe, for from you has shone forth the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God. By annulling the curse, he bestowed a blessing. By destroying death, has granted us eternal life.
This hymn is sung in Church Slavonic by the Ural Choir under the direction of Vladislav Novik, on a CD that is out of print. The English setting of the Kontakion of the feast is from a CD entitled “Rejoice, O Virigin,” sung the Choir of the Church of SS Peter & Paul in Ben Lomond California, Alice Hughes and Anne Schoepp, directors.
The next series of stichera are from the Small Vesper service. These are sung in Church Slavonic to the model melody “O House of Ephratha,” by the Choir of the Valaam Institute of Church Singing in St. Petersburg Russia, under the direction of Igor Ushakov. This CD comes from the series “Orthodox Shrines of the Russian North: The Konev Monastery” (CD D029).
Rejoice, Joachim and Anna, for the Virgin has been born, releasing all from the bonds of sin.
From Anne’s barenness comes forth Mother of God, from whom salvation has been granted to the faithful.
The Temple of the Savior. the only Mother of God, is born out of barenness, and Adam cries out in joy.
The next selection is a sticheron from the Lity of the feast. The unusual arrangement of ‘common’ Russian Tone 8 is by Alexander Nikolsky (1874-1943). The Ural Choir is directed by Vladislav Novik; the CD, however, is out of print.
On this solemn feast day let us strike up the harp of our spirits: for today, of the seed of David, is born the Mother of Life, who destroys the darkness. Let us cry to her with Gabriel the Archangel: “Hail, O full of Grace, the Lord with with you.”
The Slavic-style hymn of Magnification from the Matins service is sung by the Sirin Ensemble to a Russian znamenny chant.
We magnify you, O most holy Virgin, and we honor your holy parents as we praise your glorious Nativity.
This is followed by two more hymns from the Vigil service: the 9th Ode of the Kanon and the Exaposteilarion, sung by the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter, J. Michael Thompson, conductor. The 9th Ode is sung to a melody from the Carpatho-Rusyn “prostopinie” (lit. plain chant) tradition, while the Exaposteilarion is sung to a Byzantine chant as arranged by the Monks of New Skete. These selections are sung in English.
The next selections are from the Kanon of the feast: the 1st and 9th Odes are sung in unison to a Valaam Chant, and then the 9th Ode is heard in a polyphonic choral arrangement by Deacon Sergius Trubachov. These are sung by the male choir of the Valaam Institute of Church Singing, and by the Ural Choir, respectively. Only the CD by the Valaam Institute is available (CD D029).
Virginity is foreign to mothers, and childbearing is a strange thing for virgins; yet in you, O Mother of God, both were accomplished. For this, all the nations on earth glorify you without ceasing.
The final selection is a recently-composed setting by Ukrainian-Canadian composer Roman Hurko: “It is truly right,” sung the Archangel Voices ensemble, Vladimir Morosan, conductor, on their CD entitled “Master, Bless” (CD I-75).
The two above CDs, as well as numerous others heard on The Rudder, are available from www.musicarussica.com.
