Live in Greece: From Constantinople to California
$9.98 – $19.98
Cappella Romana, a vocal chamber ensemble renowned for its “robust and intriguing music” (Washington Post), releases its latest recording inform “Live in Greece.” Its previous release “Music of Byzantium” sold over 14,000 copies.
A 1000-year journey from Constantinople to California, ancient Byzantine chants are followed by musical encounters with Crusaders and Venetians, including Greek and Latin polyphony from Renaissance Crete. East meets West again at St. Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles, where Frank Desby founded a tradition, continued by his Californian peers, of Greek-American choral music.
The tour comes full circle with the mystical ecstasy of Radiant Cloud, a sonic icon of the Transfiguration by Athenian composer Michael Adamis.
CD features deluxe packaging with full-color 24-page booklet with photography from the ensemble’s tour to Greece, including its festival performance at the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Patmos. Full notes and texts in both English and Greek.
Recorded during Cappella Romana’s 2011 tour to Greece, where they performed at the at the 6th-century Church of 100 Doors and in the village church of Áspro Chorió on the island of Paros.
Cappella Romana is produced since 2004 by GRAMMY™ Award-winner Steve Barnett.
- «Standing by the Cross» / «Παρισταμένη τῷ σταυρῷ»
Angelos Gregoriou / Ἄγγελος Γρηγορίου (15th c./15 αι.) - Sticheron «Already the pen» / Στιχηρὸν «Ἤδη βάπτεται κάλαμος»
a. 2-voice prologue / Δίφωνος πρόλογος (Soloists J.M. Boyer, S. Antonopoulos / Σολίστες Ι.Μ.
Μπόϋερ, Σ. Αντωνόπουλος) Manuel Gazes the Lampadarios / Μανουὴλ Γαζῆς ὁ Λαμπαδάριος
(early 15th c. / άρχη του 15ου αι.)
b. Medieval Byzantine Chant / Μεσαιωνικὸν Βυζαντινὸν μέλος - Polyeleos / Πολυέλεος Andreas Stellon / Ἀνδρέας Στελλῶν (15th c./15 αι.)
- Kontakion for St. Thomas Aquinas / Κοντάκιον τοῦ Ἁγίου Θωμᾶ Ἀκινάτη
John Plousiadenos / Ἰωάννης Πλουσιαδηνός (ca.1429–1500) - Motet / Μοτέτο «Ad Dominum cum tribularer» Franghiskos Leontaritis / Φραγκίσκος Λεονταρίτης (ca.1518–ca.1572)
- Polyphonic chants for the Divine Liturgy Πολυφωνικὰ μέλη τῆς Θείας Λειτουργίας
Parthenios Sgoutas? / Παρθένιος Σγούτας; (17th c./17 αι.)
J.M. Boyer (priest), S.Antonopoulos (deacon) / Ι.Μ. Μπόϋερ (ἰερέας), Σ. Αντωνόπουλος (διάκονος) - Apolytikion of the Holy Cross / Ἀπολυτίκιον τοῦ Τιμίου Σταυροῦ
- Kyrie eleison (fortyfold) / Κύριε ἐλέησον (μ΄)
Frank Desby / Φώτιος Δεσποτόπουλος (1922–92) - Communion Verse for Saturdays / Κοινωνικὸν τοῦ Σαββάτου
- Kontakion of the Dead / Νεκρώσιμον Κοντάκιον Theodore Bogdanos / Θεόδωρος Μπογδάνος (b. 1932)
- «O Joyful Light» / «Φῶς Ἱλαρόν» Peter Michaelides / Πέτρος Μιχαηλίδης (b. 1930)
- Introit of Pentecost / Eἰσοδικὸν τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς
- Communion Verse of Pentecost / Κοινωνικὸν τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς
Tikey Zes / Παναγιώτης Ζῆς (b. 1927) - Communion for Sundays «Praise the Lord» Κοινωνικὸν τῆς Κυριακῆς «Αἰνεῖτε τὸν Κύριον»
Steven Cardiasmenos / Σταύρος Καρδιασμένος (b. 1958) - First Ode of the Canon / Α´ ᾨδὴ τοῦ Κανόνος
- Exapostilaria / Ἐξαποστειλάρια
- «Radiant Cloud» / «Νεφέλη φωτεινή»
The Byzantine Inheritance — Ἡ Βυζαντινὴ Κληρονομία
Greek-American Composers from California / Ἑλληνοαμερικανοὶ συνθέτες ἀπὸ τὴν Καλιφόρνια
Works by Michael Adamis / Ἔργα τοῦ Μιχάλη Ἀδάμη (b.1929)
From the Great Supplicatory Service to the Mother of God
Ἀπὸ τὸν Μεγάλον Παρακλητικὸν Κανόναν πρὸς τὴν Θεοτόκον
Fanfare
This time, a mixed choir of 10 voices performs this varied program with such subtlety, tonal beauty, and concentration that the American choir must have been keenly aware of the audience that they were singing for. ” –J.F. Weber
