Lyadov’s handful of orchestral works have become concert favourites, but his choral music is as good as unknown. It falls into three main categories: religious chants, folksong arrangements and original compositions. All three confirm Lyadov’s status as a kind of Fabergé of music: they blend exquisite craftsmanship and delicate beauty.
The Academy of Russian Music Chamber Choir Ivan Nikiforchin, choirmaster and conductor
Listen To This Recording:
The Hourly Prayer of St Joasaph Gorlenko (1910)
Ten Settings from the Obikhod, Op. 61 (1909)*
No. 7 Cherubic Hymn
No. 10 I shall take the cup of salvation
Five Russian Folksongs (1902)
No. 1 The Dove book
No. 2 Oh, Avsen
No. 3 You are my beauty
No. 4 I’ll go, young one
No. 5 At Dawn
15 Russian Folksongs for Female Voices (1908)
No. 3 Now we have a drink
No. 9 As at the evening
No. 10 We, girls, would like to pour some horilka
No. 14 The valley
Ten Russian Folksongs, arranged for female voices, Op. 45 (1899)
No. 1 You, my river
No. 2 Oh, it’s not a sunset
No. 3 Birch forest, who’s a single man?
No. 4 White Snow
No. 5 I’ll sit down young
No. 6 The winds blew
No. 7 Along the steep coast
No. 8 Rain on the street
No. 9 That’s my grief
No. 10 Along the street
Three Russian Folksongs for Female Voices (1912)
No. 1 Hushaby
No. 2 The open field, you’re my wide space
No. 3 Oh, there was no wind
Glorification for Vladimir Stasov (1899)
Music to Maurice Maeterlinck’s Drama Sœur Béatrice, Op. 60 (1906)
I Beggars’ chorus: Ave Maria
II Ave, Maris Stella
III The Death of Beatrice: Requiem aeternam
Glorification for Vladimir Stasov on 2 January 1894 (1894)
Farewell Song of the Schoolgirls from the Empress Maria Institute, Op. 50 (1900)
Glory to Nikolay Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1901)
Choruses from The Final Scene of Schiller’s ‘Die Braut von Messina’, Op. 28 (1878)
Introduction (‘Blessed is he who is in the quiet deep’)
Finale (Requiem)
Glory to Evgeniya Ivanovna Zbrueva (1913)
Fugato ‘Drip, Ek’ (1900)
Chorus from the Cantata to the Memory of Mark Antokolsky, Op. 47 (1902)
Yes, in that Lyadov clearly had an innate understanding of what was required when writing for unaccompanied voices. […] Rather, he opts for an intimacy and poise such as are effortlessly conveyed in these stylish renderings by the Academy of Russian Music Chamber Choir under the assured direction of Ivan Nikiforchin.
Is it recommended?
Indeed. The clear if atmospheric acoustic provides an ideal ambience for these performances, with insightful notes by Igor Prokhorov who also provides English summaries for each of the folksongs. Those already familiar with Lyadov’s orchestral and piano music need not hesitate.’
—Richard Whitehouse, Arcana.FM
Fanfare :
‘the music itself is generally outstanding, and the performances here by the Academy of Russian Music Chamber Choir are quite superlative.Choral singing doesn’t really get any better than this, and the recording itself is also of demonstration quality…This is a fabulous disc which deserves to be hugely successful, and I recommend it unreservedly to anyone interested in choral music, in Russian music, or in music in general.’
—Fanfare
Fanfare :
‘This is fine music that absolutely deserves to be heard, and also to take its rightful place in the continuum of the history of the genre as a whole…a fabulous disc which deserves to be hugely successful, and I recommend it unreservedly to anyone interested in choral music, in Russian music, or in music in general.’
Arcana.FM :
‘Does it all work?
Yes, in that Lyadov clearly had an innate understanding of what was required when writing for unaccompanied voices. […] Rather, he opts for an intimacy and poise such as are effortlessly conveyed in these stylish renderings by the Academy of Russian Music Chamber Choir under the assured direction of Ivan Nikiforchin.
Is it recommended?
Indeed. The clear if atmospheric acoustic provides an ideal ambience for these performances, with insightful notes by Igor Prokhorov who also provides English summaries for each of the folksongs. Those already familiar with Lyadov’s orchestral and piano music need not hesitate.’
—Richard Whitehouse, Arcana.FM
Fanfare :
‘the music itself is generally outstanding, and the performances here by the Academy of Russian Music Chamber Choir are quite superlative.Choral singing doesn’t really get any better than this, and the recording itself is also of demonstration quality…This is a fabulous disc which deserves to be hugely successful, and I recommend it unreservedly to anyone interested in choral music, in Russian music, or in music in general.’
—Fanfare
Fanfare :
‘This is fine music that absolutely deserves to be heard, and also to take its rightful place in the continuum of the history of the genre as a whole…a fabulous disc which deserves to be hugely successful, and I recommend it unreservedly to anyone interested in choral music, in Russian music, or in music in general.’
—Fanfare