Svetilen

Orthodox Music

Svetilen’s repertoire comprises a great amoung of sacred Orthodox music dating from 16th to 18th centuries. It is not liturgical music. This music has been sung by monks in the cells, Orthodox people at Orthodox holidays etc. In USSR after the revolution in 1917 that kind of music got lost and forgotten and only in the past 20 years it has been discovered again and people have obtained the possibility to sing it. Svetilen received the blessing from the Bishop to sing these songs. The programme consists of sacred spiritual chants dedicated to Our God, Holy Mother, different Saints and Orthodox holidays. They are of different character and come from various countries and regions. The authors are not known. Dmitri Garkavi arranged some of the songs in the authentic manner of ancient Russian singing - the so-called open or white sound - and instruments.
Recorded: 21.7.12, Litija, Church of St. Nicholas

SVETILEN (RU): Dmitri Garkavi (tenor, duduk, gusli), Roman Shakhov (tenor, tamburin), Dmitri Lushnikov (bas, koliosnaya lira), Roman Kholodov (baritone, flute, hatamba), Liubov Shagalova (alto), Svetlana Sazhina (soprano)