Kyiv Chamber Choir. Artemiy Vedel. Vol.2. Spiritual concertos 8-12.

"The second half of the 18^th century became the "golden era" in the history and art of Ukrainian choral music. The creations and works of such well known masters, as Berezovsky, Bortniansky, Vedel elevated Ukrainian music to its highest spiritual orbits, which still to today is perceived as an assured aesthetical ideal. And all this came about at the time when Ukraine lived under the brutal, ferocious and cruel national oppression of Russian Imperialism. A large number and stream of Ukrainian youth, namely musicians, relocated to Russia, primarily to fill monastic choirs, court choirs, private capellas, and theatres... And yet they returned to Ukraine, even individually. Amongst them was Artemiy Vedel, to whom fate bequeathed the title of the most magically fascinating, and yet  simultaneously, the most tragic star of Ukraine. For in the 18^th century, there was no better composer, nor better singer, and no better conductor-kapellmeister. No better enigmatic figure also...

On this CD the Chamber Choir "Kyiv" presents the spiritual concertos from the Vedel's unique autobiographical works (№'s 8-12).

Concerto №'s 8-10 were scored in Kharkiv. In №8 we see a model of Vedel's later concertos... Scaled, full of contrasting satisfactions and complex to perform, Concerto №8 in style demonstrates the most classical nature of all previous concerts. New grains of Vedel's creativity are opened in the two-choir Concertos №'s 9-10. Here the composer demonstrates his brilliant possession of expression and opportunities of antiphonal sound. The most scaled and complex in its internal organisation is Concerto №11 and Concerto №12 – which were created not too long before Vedel's entry as a servant-novice in the Kyiv-Pecherska Monastery, and his arrest six months later. Man's struggle with the forces of evil become foremost themes in these creations, and take upon themselves, a sign of external conflict..." Tetiana Husarchuk, Artistic Studies Candidate

(information from the CD polygraphy)

The edition contains a 28-page booklet with a detailed article by Tetiana Husarchuk and information about the choir. The texts are in Ukrainian, English, German, French.