Vladymir Martynov - Temenos: Stabat Mater / Requiem (2003)

Musicians

OPUS POSTH Ensemble
Tatiana Grindenko
SIRIN choir and ALKONOST


Detailed personnel:

Tatiana Grindenko – solo violin, director, conductor
Natalia Kosareva - violin
Ludmila Egorova - violin
Elena Poluyanchenko - violin
Tatiana Klimenko - violin
Vladimir Metelev - viola
Natalia Panasiouk - viola
Nikita Kochergin - cello
Vasily Ratkin - cello
Igor Solokhin double - bass

SIRIN & ALKONOST Choirs
Andrey Kotov – conductor, director
soloists:
Andrey Kotov (11)
Anna Gusarova (11)
Galina Guseva (8)
Maria Shentalinskaya (8)

Produced by Tatiana GRINDENKO and Vladimir MARTYNOV
Executive producer: Nick DMITRIEV

1-6 recorded at MOSFILM Studio (Moscow), March 2003
7-13 recorded at MOSFILM Studio (Moscow), May 2002
Recorded by MARIA SOBOLEVA
Mixed by YURY BOGDANOV
Mastered by YURY BOGDANOV at Magic Mastering Studio

Total time: 67:43


Temenos

And They Shall Be Known By How They Remember Their Dead.

The omnipresence of death and the great riddle about one of the most existential mysteries is the main subject of VLADIMIR MARTYNOV'S CD "Temenos" with two of his previously unreleased works.

There are references to the early organum praxis of the first turn of the millennium in his "Stabat Mater", extraction of the major and minor scales out of the ecclesiastical modes. The mirroring of voices moving downwards with upward movements. Then the principles of composition found by Blacher and Messiaen: Methods of letting musical elements, figures, lines and rhythms grow or shrink; the unusual structuring of an octave by non European sequences of semi- and whole tone intervals. And last but not least (again and again) the repetition, the formerly minimalistic serial principle which Vladimir Martynov does not adapt but lets sound through.

In his "Requiem" Vladimir Martynov returns to the original theological concept of the requiem mass as well as to its unspoilt piousness: Not grieving the loss, not fearing the judgement but transcendently asking for „eternal peace" and the "everlasting light". Therefore rather than conveying a mood of sadness Martynov's "Requiem" calls forth the joy of encountering the light.

Tatiana Grindenko has shown with her ensemble OPUS POSTH. several times, how historical forms of sound and nowadays feelings can fit well together; that emotional power can sometimes have an aggressive colour; why we are able to amalgamate (can merge) pain and confidence, lament and positive attitude to life, compassion and self assurance into a general human complexity. In this recording some listeners may notice a further aspect: There is a kind of sound globalism. The unusual Russian timbre in the sopranos are part of the new positive discoveries as well as the remarkable blackness of a deep bass, the articulation of the solo violin as well as the vehement beginning of a cello line.

Both musical works get a totally new meaning within the frame of performing sacred music, especially through the interpretative and vocal techniques of the Russian chamber choir SIRIN and the vocal ensemble ALKONOST.

Vladimir Martynov's "Temenos" (temple, chapel, consecrated land) will not take away our fear of dying. But it might convey some of the peace and light of which it sings. And perhaps this music which certainly steps out of the liturgical frame can make us aware of how absurd any action is that goes against the human principle of life. But this does not start with terrorism. It has already become every day life reality. And yet: this reality too belongs to the mythical questions. We should be known by our practical answers.
Prof. Dr. Heinz Josef Herbort.
Translation by Christian Salvesen

Tracklist:

1-6. STABAT MATER 24.24
1. Stabat mater 1.12
2. O quam tristis 2:37
3. Quis est homo 2:55
4. Pro peccatis 2:41
5. Eia, mater 9:17
6. Virgo virginum 5:42

7-13. REQUIEM 43:01
7. Introitus 2:32
8. Kyrie 8:45
9. Sequentia 7:17
10. Offertorium 5:22
11. Sanctus 7:56
12. Agnus Dei 2:37
13. Lux aeterna 8:32


This is my friend Andreii's rip. Thank you, Andreii!