Rose Ensemble Recordings

Fire of the Soul

Fire of the Soul: Choral Virtuosity in 17th-Century Russia & Poland

Dazzling Eastern European polyphony featuring the antiphonal glory of Polish Renaissance composer Mikolaj Zielenski, the strength of the Russian Orthodox Liturgy with 12-part writing from Baroque master Vasily Titov, and our commissioned "hit," Bogoroditse Devo, raduysia, by Minnesota composer, Sergey Khvoshchinskiy.

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Listen WM Windows Media, or RM Real Player
Latin Motets from the Polish Renaissance
WM RM 1. Magnificat (a12) Mikolaj Zielenski (ca.1550- post 1616)
WM RM 2. Motetto de Sancto Stanislao (a8) Mikolaj Zielenski
WM RM 3. In festo Omnium Sanctorum (a4) Mikolaj Zielenski
  4. In solemnitate Corporis Christi (a4) Mikolaj Zielenski
  5. Deus in adiutorium (a8) Mikolaj Zielenski
  6. Motetto de Sancto Alberto (a8) Mikolaj Zielenski
WM RM 7. Crucifixus surrexit (a9) Andrzej Rohaczewski
(fl. ca. 1620)
The Russian Orthodox Liturgy in Baroque Moscow
  8. Slava...Yedinorodnïy Sïñe Vasily Titov
(c.1650-ca.1715)
WM RM 9. Heruvímskaya Pesñ Vasily Titov
  10. Dostoyno yest', yako voistinnu Vasily Titov
Commissioned by The Rose Ensemble
WM RM 11. Bogoroditse Devo, raduysia
(Rejoice, O Virgin Mary)
Sergey Khvoshchinskiy
(b. 1957)

What the critics say

"The Rose Ensemble's 'Fire of the Soul' scholarly but expressive performances of relatively unknown music by Mikolaj Zielenski, a Polish composer of the early 17th century, and Vasily Titov, who wrote in Moscow later in that century, will reward listening during the holidays. These works take us from the idiom of chant to what in Titov resembles the larger harmonic structures of Monteverdi.

Sramek's group of 12, of which he is one of the tenors, sings with a pure tone and assured pitch. This is accomplished work, and the recorded ambience is given just the kind of rich resonance the music needs."

Michael Anthony
Minneapolis Star-Tribune

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