Hidden treasures - Maxim Berezovsky - Selected sacred hymns (c. 1773-1777) скачать в хорошем качестве

Hidden treasures - Maxim Berezovsky - Selected sacred hymns (c. 1773-1777)

History (based on materials from the Grove Dictionary of Music): Ukrainian composer Maxim Berezovsky (c. 1745-1777) has to be the most obscure composer to have been featured in our series. His biography is enigmatic at best: he originally studied either at the Hlukhiv choir school or the Kiev Academy and by his arrival to Saint-Petersburg in 1757 showed enough talent to be employed by the court of Peter III as a principal singer at the Oranienbaum theatre, playing leading heroic roles. However, after Catherine the Great assumed throne in 1762, Berezovsky's career effectively was cut short due to dubious reasons. Still, in the early 1760s Berezovsky turned to composition via intensive studies with Zoppis and Galuppi. Again, the results must have been recognized by his peers, as in 1766 he was sent to Italy, becoming the first Eastern Slavic composer to have achieved such an honor. In 1771 he was admitted to the Accademia Filarmonica of Bologna. Furthermore, during the 1773 Carnival season in Livorno his opera seria "Demofoonte" was given a warm reception. By October 1773 he had returned to St. Petersburg and was soon given a post of a staff member of the imperial theatres and capellmeister of the Royal court capella. However, by 1777 he died in uncertain circumstances: some historians point out the possibility of suicide, others - a fatal malady. In either case, a life of unfulfilled promise as it were, especially considering the quality of Berezovsky's music. Music: One of the reasons behind our lack of knowledge on Berezovsky is the rather sparse amount of the composer's music that actually survived in some form the passage of time: four arias from the opera, about half of his choral works, a symphony, a violin sonata and a few incidental pieces constitute the sole remnants of his heritage. Stating that this catalog reveals a forgotten master would, perhaps, be slightly misleading. In particular, the secular music of Berezovsky suggests a keen melodic gift and an ease of adaptation but neither real personality or true verve. This possible blandness of the composer's Italianate efforts, however, falls into sharp contrast with Berezovsky's sacred music which is exceptional on many levels. Slavic church music is generally renowned for its dark textures, rich vocal interplay and religious zeal, and all of these qualities are more than amply present in the composer's surviving choruses. The best known of these (at least, in Slavic countries) is the choral concerto "Forsake me not in my old age" which features a morose melody quite reminiscent of Bach at his best. However, in the present case we will concentrate on five slightly lesser known, though just as remarkably moving pieces. As per usual, I've introduced some cuts into the music, as to limit the size of the upload: thus, only the central piece is preserved virtually untouched, save for a few opening bars. In the ordering of the pieces I've tried to suggest a formal religious ceremony. Thus, the posting opens with a tearful andante prayer to those who have already passed away sung in unison by the choir with subtle variations of coloration, such as the sudden sustained notes of selected singers (0:36, 1:00, 1:30) which provided the much needed expressiveness. A contrast is created with the introduction of the subsequent piece, the first of three settings of the psalm "Praise ye the Lord", dramatically sung in perfect harmony, as the congregation marvels at the omnipotence of God (1:44). Only at the end, as the vocal lines start to unravel (2:43), do we notice signs of growing distress and repentance. The central hymn, less immediately distinctive melodically than either its predecessors or successors, actually turns out to be the most remarkable movement, a suspension of time on a single "Alleluia". The piece begins traditionally as a simple canon (3:16), and, indeed, the form returns frequently as an echo (5:43), however, I hesitate in calling the chorus a full canon, as the composer never allows it to develop into such a movement, instead creating a unified stream of intertwining motives of rare elegance. The following chorus returns us to the uncertainty of the posting's beginning, as the chorus prays for salvation in a series of by turns descending (8:36) and ascending (8:57) lines, gently underlined by the basses' stern dotted utterances (8:53, 9:14, 9:42). The finish bursts with desperation and regret, negated by the final jubilant fugal closing (10:21), as the message of hope in salvation is reaffirmed by all. Score: Currently no sheet music for the selected pieces can be found in open access online. Recording: The 2003 CDK recording, featuring the generously impassioned chamber choir of the Ukrainian music "Vidrogennia" under the leadership of Mstyslav Yurchenko, is the perfect medium for Berezovsky's choruses: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ccotum Hope you'll enjoy =).