www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship The Kliros Chants of the Great Litany/Litany of Peace

This is one of the beauty parts of the whole DL, when it starts with the blessing and the opening litany. Now these can take various tones, and be sung differently depending on the flavor of Eastern Rite Catholic or Orthodox Church that you attend. Now even though the Carpatho-Rusyn tone for the Great Litany is nice, and I pray and chant that every day in the morning to myself. I find that there are some that chant that in a way that brings a tear to my eyes, like this Russian Orthodox Choir (at least I think it's Russian Orthodox), that seems to really make this a solemn thing, I'm not sure if this was the Valaam Chorus or not, but take a look and listen:



I took a wild stab, and assumed this was chanted in a Lenten/Great Fast tone, or an Advent tone, but it's safe to say that this was one of the more solemn versions of the Great Litany I've ever listened to.

I think it is during lent during patriarch alexei II of Moscow time.
Very nice to listen to.

Ahh, I see... Good to know. This Ukrainian one sounds rather peaceful, too. Again, this just shows the beauty of chanting the Litany in Slavonic language with tones other than the Ruthenian that we are all used to:

Now I have yet to see (or hear, obviously) any BCC Parish to have this kind of harmony with the Ruthenian Great Litany. This was recently posted on Youtube from St. George's ACROD Parish. I've never heard a priest with such a voice with the prayers or a choir/congregation with such harmony (in terms of Ruthenian/Carpatho-Russian Litany Prayers & Chants). I'm sure whoever made that good harmony should be on American Idol (just saying):

That is very beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

I just played another clip from St. George's ACROD, the Panachida for +Met. Nicholas. Wow, that is a much better English setting of Rusyn Prostopinije than the setting currently used by the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church! It is very close to the original Church Slavonic musical setting. Nicely done ACROD!



U-C

Off-topic, U-C, but good to see a post from you, my brother. They're way too infrequent these days.

Many years,

Neil

I seem to remember that setting, and I think there was another setting for the Great Fast as well, that might seem also close to Church Slavonic tradition (usually sung during the Presanctified Liturgies)...not sure.