Sunday Music & Blazhen Muzh & Rachmaninoff

Sergei Rchmaninoff, “Blazhen Muzh” (Blessed is the man) from Verspers, sung by Tenebrae Choir, directed by Nigel Short.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.
Alleluia.
The Lord knows the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked will perish.
Alleluia.
Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling.
Alleluia.
Blessed is he who puts his trust in Him.
Alleluia.
Arise, Lord, save me, my God.
Alleluia.
The Lord is the savior of the people of His blessing.
Alleluia.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
now and ever and forever more. Amen.
Alleluia. Glory to You, God.

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Sunday Music & Rachmaninoff & Our Father

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff, “The Lord’s Prayer,” from the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, performed by Russian State Symphony Cappella, directed by Valery Polyansky (2012).

O Theotokos Ever Vigilant in Prayer & Rachmaninov & Sunday Music

USSR Ministry of Culture Chamber Choir, directed by Valeri Polyansky.

Neither the tomb, nor death could hold the Theotokos,
Who is ever-vigilant in prayer
and our firm hope in her intercessions.
For being the Mother of Life,
She was transmigrated to life
by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb.

Consecration Day 7 & Rachmaninov & Glory Be

Youtuber VitaliyGR annotates:

it’s a blend of of two recordings: Moscow Chamber Choir directed by Minin (90%) and USSR State Chamber Choir with Polyansky (10%). The first recording is better (IMHO), but it lacks parts of priest and deacon, which were supplemented using the second recording.

Text for Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary here, and video here:

Sunday Music & Rachmaninoff & Bogoroditse Devo

Sergei Rachmaninoff, Bogoroditse Devo (Ave Maria), Chór Akademicki of the University of Warsaw, directed by Irina Bogdanovich (2003).

These days my Sunday theme is getting to be, “Hey, I didn’t know (insert name of classical composer here) wrote sacred music!” Rachmaninoff has never been my thing particularly, but even so, I didn’t know he did any version of Ave Maria, let alone this mind-blowing one.

I first intended to go with the following interpretation (in Latin) by the Schola Cantorum at St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, LA (2007). But the purist Youtube commentators said OK, nice, but you got to hear it in the Slavonic language and with the original mixed choir. Hence the version above. But this one has punch, and better recording quality. So I’m going with both.