Lost Voices of Hagia Sophia: Medieval Byzantine Chant

AllMusic Review

Lost Voices of Hagia Sophia: Medieval Byzantine Chant

Cappella Romana has a remarkable sound with lots of head tones, and even listeners with no interest in the engineering wizardry will find the singing and the music compelling. An extraordinary release.

“This release by Cappella Romana first appeared in late 2019 but acquired new relevance and promotional energy with the Islamization of the Hagia Sophia in mid-2020: the ‘lost voices’ of the title now seem to be lost permanently, although recordings in the giant sixth-century structure had long since already been banned. What’s heard here is a pioneering endeavor… Even the basic CD yields remarkable sounds, and for audiophiles with the equipment and wherewithal to go deeper, this will be an essential purchase. … Cappella Romana has a remarkable sound with lots of head tones, and even listeners with no interest in the engineering wizardry will find the singing and the music compelling. An extraordinary release.”

–James Manheim