Kontakion of the Nativity of Christ With New Orthodox Christmas Carols
Author: Cappella Romana
When a modern-day American composer converts to the Orthodox faith and writes a major choral work using the text and traditional chant motives of the Kontakion for the Nativity of Christ, the resulting music is, well... "Orthodox." Richard Toensing's Kontakion (St Romanos's complete text, not just the initial verse heard in churches today) may surprise and challenge the average listener at first, but the transcendent character of the music and Cappella Romana's powerful performance will smite those whose ears are open to new, 21st-century creations of sacred music inspired by the Orthodox ethos. As a lighter counterpart to the intensity of the Kontakion, the disc also contains twelve "new Orthodox carols," written on metered paraphrases of liturgical hymns from various services for the feast of the Nativity. As always, Cappella Romana's recording quality, scholarly and artistic presentation, and booklet are first-rate. The printed texts allow the listener to follow along and be inspired by the poetry.--V. M.
TRACK LISTING
1. Toensing, Richard Kontakion the Virgin Gives Birth Today
2. Toensing, Richard Stanza 1
3. Toensing, Richard Stanza 2
4. Toensing, Richard Stanza 3
5. Toensing, Richard Stanza 4
6. Toensing, Richard Stanza 6
7. Toensing, Richard Stanza 7
8. Toensing, Richard Stanza 8
9. Toensing, Richard Stanza 9
10. Toensing, Richard Stanza 10
11. Toensing, Richard Stanza 11
12. Toensing, Richard Stanza 22
13. Toensing, Richard Stanza 24
14. Toensing, Richard O Nations, Let Us Now Prepare
15. Toensing, Richard Isaiah, As He Watched By Night
16. Toensing, Richard In Olden Days
17. Toensing, Richard What Shall We Call You
18. Toensing, Richard Now Hear, O Bethlehem
19. Toensing, Richard The Virgin, As Was Said of Old
20. Toensing, Richard O Let Creation All Rejoice
21. Toensing, Richard Now Christ Is Born Upon the Earth
22. Toensing, Richard The Rod of Jesse's Root Has Bloomed
23. Toensing, Richard The Shepherds in the Fields
24. Toensing, Richard Once Sorrow Had Silenced Zion's Harps
25. Toensing, Richard Make Glad, You Righteous
