CE: Cathedral, St Petersburg Wed, Aug 2nd 2017

[DracoM]

CE: Cathedral St Petersburg
(Archive recording August 2003)


The Feast of the Transfiguration
The Cathedral of the Transfiguration, St Petersburg, Russia.
2003 was the 300th anniversary year of the city's founding.

Music by Allemanov, Smolensky, Burmatin, Tretyakov, Zakharov and Tchesnokov.
Gospel: Luke 9: 28-36.
Homily: Father Vladimir Fyodorov

Archpriest: Father Boris Glebov
Cathedral Choir directed by Vladimir Lvov

The commentator is Canon Michael Bourdeaux

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08zdnjy

[Miles Coverdale]

In 2003 I think the great (but now late) basso profundo Vladimir Pasjukov was in the choir at St Petersburg. You can hear him here in We praise thee by Chesnokov, complete with bottom A. Must be something in the water (or vodka).

[subcontrabass]

I have put in a request to the producers for a proper music list, i.e. to tell us what is being sung and by whom each item was composed. Since this programme has been in the archive for 14 years I think someone should have some idea of what is included.

[DracoM]

Yes, and for someone not familiar with the Orthodox liturgy, I felt it a bit naughty not to do the same particularisation as we'd get for CE or Choral Vespers et al. After all, it's NOT a concert.

[Y Mab Afradlon]

This is a link through John Sebolt's Underground archive site. This should give everyone the information needed.

http://lorenz.seboldt.net/choralevensong/bbc-choral-evensong/2003/030806%20St%20Petersburg%20full%20text.html

[subcontrabass]

This is a link through John Sebolt's Underground archive site. This should give everyone the information needed.

http://lorenz.seboldt.net/choraleven...ll%20text.html

Thanks. That is what should be on the BBC webpage. It shows that what we are getting is a series of extracts from the All-Night Vigil Service for the Feast of the Transfiguration. At least this time (unlike the last broadcast of a Russian Orthodox "service") the bits are in the right order, even though they omit much of the basic structure of the service.

[DracoM]

On the above link - many thanks - is the complete service in English.
Here is my much edited version for quick reference: apologies for mistakes.

Father Boris calls on the congregation to stand.

Deacon: Stand.
Choir: Lord, give the blessing.
Priest: Glory to the holy, consubstantial, life-giving and undivided Trinity, always, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Come, let us worship the King, our God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, the King, our God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ himself, the King and our God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before him.

Psalm 104 Praise the Lord, O my soul / Allemanov

Litany of Peace / Smolensky.
Verses (with refrains) from Psalm 104 / Allemanov) Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Priest: For to you belong all glory, honour and worship, to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Choir: Amen.

Psalms 141: Quiet Light / Burmatin / "Lord, I have cried", Tone 4, Kiev melody
Psalm 142, verse 10: "Gentle Light" / Burmatin

Aposticha, Tone 1, shortened Kiev melody

Nunc Dimittis / Tretyakov.

Troparion of the Transfiguration, Tone 7, common melody
Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Blessing.

Psalms 135 and 136 / Tchesnokov. Verse 1:
Velichanie (Magnification) / Mateyev:

Prokeimenon of the Transfiguration
Deacon: Wisdom. Let us attend. Prokeimenon in the Fourth Tone. (Psalm 89, verse 13) Tabor and
Hermon will rejoice in your name.
Choir: Tabor and Hermon will rejoice in your name.
Deacon (verse 12); The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours.
Choir: Tabor and Hermon will rejoice in your name.
Deacon: Tabor and Hermon Choir: will rejoice in your name.

Gospel: (Luke 9:28-36):
Deacon:
Choir: Glory to you, O Lord, glory to you.
Verse after the Gospel, Tone 6, shortened Kiev melody:

Homily - Father Vladimir Fyodorov

Ninth Ode:
Priest, the Refrain: Magnify, O my soul, the Lord transfigured on Tabor.

Great Doxology (music by Tchesnokov)

Dismissal

[Vox Humana]

Many thanks for that, Draco.

(Not exactly Choral Evensong though, is it? :) )

[Dafydd y G.W.]

Not exactly Choral Evensong though, is it? :)

Though the same ingredients are there: psalms, canticles, bible reading, versicles/responses, etc.

[jean]

Well, you could say that either Orthodox or Catholic Vespers is (are?) more authentic than the cobbled-together liturgical hybrid that is Choral Evensong, but it does seem that what we're offered here is a bit cobbled-together anyway.

[DracoM]

Hence the colon after the 'CE' in the thread title!
I put 'CE' merely as a location marker for programme listeners / planners. Had no liturgical implications - well, not for me.

[Dafydd y G.W.]

Well, you could say that either Orthodox or Catholic Vespers is (are?) more authentic than the cobbled-together liturgical hybrid that is Choral Evensong

Or indeed the cobbled-together rite that is Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, which we get from Westminster Cathedral or Liverpool Metropolitan. (To some extent the same could be said of even the "old rite" Vespers that the London Oratory offers, which comes from the radically reformed 1911 Breviary, and as for what Urban VIII did to the office hymns in 1629 the less said the better.)

[DracoM]

Reminder: today @ 3.30 p.m.

[DracoM]

Any comments?

[Nevilevelis]

Nothing positive, I am sorry (and rather ashamed) to say.