Cycles and Seasons; Worship at Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY

The CD "Cycles and Seasons" contains a kaleidoscopic variety of hymns—festal as well as unchanging—as sung at the venerable Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York. It gives the listener a good snapshot of the current liturgical music practices at the Monastery, and the picture is an encouraging one. The small 10-voice choir sings with tight ensemble, resonantly, smoothly, and in tune. There is evidence of beneficial influence from recent choral Master Classes, taught by Vladimir Gorbik from the Moscow Representation Church of the Holy Trinity-St-Sergius Monastery. Some of the repertoire has been developed over the years at the monastery (Jordanville Obikhod), while other selections have been adapted from sources such as the Kievan Caves Lavra, Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, and some of the monastic composers of the 20th century. While all but one of the selections is sung in Church Slavonic, English text translations are offered in the booklet. This CD will be enjoyed by all lovers of monastic-style singing for men’s chorus.—V. M.