Juno-nominated chamber choir Luminous Voices along with Spiritus Chamber Choir (both from Calgary), under the direction of Dr. Timothy Shantz, have released a 2-disc album of Twelve Sacred Choral Concerti and Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom by Ukranian composer Artem Vedel (1767- 1808) featuring recordings of both groups performing in 2014 and 2016 concerts.
Recognized as one of the Golden Three Ukrainian composers of the 18th century, Artem Vedel wrote 31 sacred choral concerti during a “boisterous wave of national rebirth imbued with a connection and influence of national folklore,” as well as a time of prohibition against the performance of sacred concerti.
The performances by Luminous Voices and Spiritus Chamber Choir beautifully strike the balance between celebrating the height of Ukrainian choral music of the 18th and early 19th centuries, while lamenting the turmoil of Ukraine’s fall to the Russian Empire and curtailment of cultural work.
Throughout the Twelve Sacred Choral Concerti (which were composed over a period of 4 years from 1794 to 1798), Vedel intertwines sacred melismatic polyphony with an influence of secular folk stylings. The choirs (Luminous Voices performs Concerto I-IX, XI-XII, while Spiritus Chamber Choir performs Concerto X) demonstrated ease and control throughout the concerti, all of which clearly required a great deal of sensitivity and power in its dynamic range and control.
Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is a haunting and stunning performance from Spiritus Chamber Choir, with masterful direction from Tim Shantz through flowing rubato and a myriad of fermatas. Showing refinement in its musical texture and vocal enunciation, the balanced choir extends an emotionally charged invitation to the listener, imploring you to hear their sacred prayer.
Once again, both Luminous Voices and Spiritus Chamber Choir showcase their expressive and effortless musical voices in a unified and balanced performance, at the graceful hand of Timothy Shantz. Artem Vedel: Twelve Sacred Choral Concerti & Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is available now on streaming platforms and digital and physical copies are available for purchase through Leaf Music.
Review by Simon MacLeod, Calgary Classical Contributor
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