"Fragment from Divine Liturgy" genre: Ensembles
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	The old Russian Orthodox liturgical singing was usually called "Angel-like". It is mainly because of the power of prayer and spiritual purity of the echoi (tones) melodies, crystallised in standing of Holy Rus before the God. Exlamation by diacon V.Martsinkov
	MP3.com CD: THE BEST OF ANTHOLOGY - buy it! MP3.com CD: TO THEE WE SING - buy it! Credits: The ensemle of old church music "Sretenye"
	Story Behind the Song The true church singing is an integral part of the Church tradition. It comes into being in co-creativity of ascetics and the Holy Spirit, and it is not so much music as a kind of prayer. We can talk only approximately about the date and authorship of the old hymns represented ensemble "SRETENIE" on this page. Some Greek and Bulgarian musicologists believe that Eastern Orthodox liturgical singing originates from the singing of levites in ancient Israel. Making its way with Christianity and changing in the light of national features, Eastern Orthodox (Byzantine) singing has begun church-singing culture of Georgia, Bulgaria, Serbia and Rus. Saint John the Damascene, who lived in the 8th century, established church “oktoechos” (eight tones) — common base of liturgical singing, consisting of eight tonal-melodic systems. Also the Church attributes the Easter canon's authorship to him. The first ode of the canon is represented on this page. Such names as John Glyka, St John Koukousel, John Klad and others marked the period of "Kalophonia" ("beautiful singing") in the 12–14th centuries. The works of Theodore of Phokea (the 18th century) are the best samples of kalophonia-music. In Georgian church singing there are two styles: Cartalin-Cahetian and Himertin-Gury. In certain theological sense the Orthodox Church has developed three-voice singing. So, due to the special motion, native Georgian polyphony and polyphonic thinking have developed. The base of Russian Orthodox liturgical singing — Znamenny tune was usually called "Angel-like". It is mainly because of the power of prayer and spiritual purity of the echoi (tones) melodies, crystallised in standing of Holy Rus before the God.

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