Product Description
"The Resurrection" is a solemn, dramatic and majestic Easter Oratorio for four vocal soloists (SATB) and
mixed choir a cappella, entirely based upon four traditional Romanian
Orthodox hymns for the Easter, with Byzantine and modernist touches, and also with polyphonic and other choral techniques partly inspired by those in Handel's oratorios.
Its
formidable text was selected from Romanian Orthodox chants for the Holy
Week and Easter Day, translated into English (see below). The mp3 audio clip is a MIDI mock-up recording of the opening chorus. Total duration: 42 min.
The text:
1. Chorus:
"O Christ our God!
When Thou didst raise Lazarus from the dead before Thy Passion,
Thou didst confirm the resurrection of the universe.
Wherefore, we like children,
carry the banner of triumph and victory,
and we cry to Thee, O Conqueror of love,
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is He that cometh
in the Name of the Lord."
2. Aria (soprano, with choral accompaniment):
"O Lord, receive the fountain of my tears, O You who gather into clouds
the waters of the sea. Incline unto me, unto the sighing of my heart, O
You who bowed the heavens by your ineffable condescension. I will wash
your immaculate feet with kisses and dry them again with the tresses of
my hair; those very feet at whose sound Eve hid herself in fear when she
heard You walking in Paradise in the twilight of the day. As for the
multitude of my sins and the depths of Your judgments, who can search
them out, O Savior of souls, my Savior? Do not disdain me Your
handmaiden, O You who are boundless in mercy."
3. Aria (tenor, with simple choral accompaniment):
"Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant;
for I will not speak of Thy Mystery to Thine enemies, neither will I
give Thee a kiss like Judas. But like the Thief will I confess Thee:
Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom."
4. Chorus (with final double fugue):
"Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross.
He who is King of the angels is arrayed in a crown of thorns.
He who wraps the Heavens in clouds is wrapped in the purple of mockery.
He who in Jordan set Adam free receives blows upon His face.
The Bridegroom of the Church is transfixed with nails.
The Son of the Virgin is pierced with a spear.
We venerate Thy Passion, O Christ.
Show us also Thy glorious Resurrection."
5. Aria (alto, with simple choral accompaniment):
"May Christ our true God, Who for the salvation of the world endured
spitting, and scourging, and buffeting, and the Cross, and death,
through the intercessions of His most pure Mother, of our holy and
God-bearing fathers, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save
us, for He is good and the Lover of mankind."
6. Aria (bass, with a chorus based on the Orthodox Doxology):
(bass) "The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Thy most pure Body from
the tree, wrapped it in fine linen, and anointed it with spices, and
placed it in a new tomb.
(chorus) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
(bass) The angel came to the myrrh-bearing women at the tomb and said:
Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself a stranger
to corruption."
7. Quartet (soprano, alto, tenor and bass):
"Today Thou dost keep holy the seventh day, which Thou has blessed of old by resting from Thy works.
Thou bringest all things into being and Thou makest all things new, observing the Sabbath rest, my Saviour, and restoring strength."
8. Final chorus: first a grand recitative
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