Shchedrin: The Sealed Angel (2005)

Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin (pronounced "Sh-CHAY-dreen") has seen it all; the discrediting of composers in the middle Soviet period, the gradual thaw against "formalist" techniques later on, Perestroika, and beyond. From the period of Perestroika comes his cantata The Sealed Angel, presented here by the Berlin Radio Choir under the direction of Stefan Parkman. The Sealed Angel is a meticulous and straightforward setting of a Russian orthodox liturgical text artfully rearranged so as not to attract attention from ... Read More

Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin (pronounced "Sh-CHAY-dreen") has seen it all; the discrediting of composers in the middle Soviet period, the gradual thaw against "formalist" techniques later on, Perestroika, and beyond. From the period of Perestroika comes his cantata The Sealed Angel, presented here by the Berlin Radio Choir under the direction of Stefan Parkman. The Sealed Angel is a meticulous and straightforward setting of a Russian orthodox liturgical text artfully rearranged so as not to attract attention from authorities. Although composed in 1988 to commemorate the 1,000th anniversary of the Christianization of Russia, Shchedrin knew better than to make the work overtly devotional, as atheism was still the official state religion toward the end of the Soviet period. The title was taken from Nikolai Leskow's popular nineteenth century novella about a sacred relic, although the work has no other connection to its implied literary source. Also, the use of solo flute in this work is definitely... Read Less