The Concerto for Choir , premiered in 1986, is one of Alfred Schnittke's most important vocal works; The tradition of Russian-Orthodox church music is renewed and re-thought in him. Schnittke composed his concerto for chorus in the mid-1980s. The A cappella work in Russian is based on a medieval prayer collection. Schnittke processes elements of orthodox church music and translates them stylistically into the present. The result is chormusik in large format: mystical, archaic and of majestic luminosity.
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O Herrscher allen lebendigen Seins, der Du uns kostbare Gaben schenkst
Diese Lieder, deren Verse von schwarzer Trauer bis zum Rand gefüllt, dichtete ich, der ich um die menschlichen Leidenschaften weiß
Allen denjenigen, die das Wesen dieser traurigen Worte begreifen
Dies Werk, das ich in meiner Hoffnung und in Deinem Namen begonnen, sollst Du vollenden