Can anyone tell me anything about this Russian Orthodox song?

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Silyosha

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I’m a trad. Catholic who loves Orthodox music. Recently I discovered the song at the link below, and although I know nothing about it, I think it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard. Can anyone tell em anything about it? If I were to guess, I’d say it was the ROC version of Ave Maria, but I really don’t know for sure. Thanks! +

youtube.com/watch?v=4Q9eBobEsPw&feature=related
 
I am unfamiliar with this particular melody, but I can tell you it is indeed the Ave Maria, the “Hail Mary,” sung in the Russian language.
 
Thank you so much! My sister knows a bit of Russian, and she was able to pick out phrases like “the Lord is with you”, etc., so I expected so. Great to know. It really is a stunning melody in my opinion.
 
Yes, the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic and the Russian Old Believers have the same ending to their Hail Mary:

“For Thou hast given birth to Christ the Saviour, the Redeemer of our souls.”

The Russian Orthodox ending is:

“For Thou has given birth to the Saviour of our souls.”

Vosdrastviye!

Alex
 
At last count we had a gazillian hymns to the Mother of God in the East, of which we only sing/pray a million in the DL every Sunday. 😉

Here is this version which is longer than this clip, from a wonderful CD Rejoice! Hymns to the Virgin Mary, has the Russian ending Alex mentions.

I love Archangelski Glas/With the Voice of the Archangel which is also longer than this section found on Attend, O Heaven: Hymns of the Great Lent and Pascha, CD from a local parish. I especially like that it specifically unites our voices with those of the archangels. 👍
 
Thanks for the links, 5Loaves! I think the “Voice of the Archangel” clip is particularly beautiful. At my parish (where we have the TLM), we sometimes use Russian arrangements of the Ave Maria, etc. during the mass, which I definately approve of. I love the eastern Christian music that I’ve heard; it’s just to reverant and almost chillingly beautiful.
Here’s another one that I found…is it also the Ave Maria, or is it another prayer? It reminds me of today (All Souls Day) for whatever reason:
youtube.com/watch?v=emgHei4LZCE&feature=related
 
Silyosha said:
Here’s another one that I found…is it also the Ave Maria, or is it another prayer? It reminds me of today (All Souls Day) for whatever reason:
youtube.com/watch?v=emgHei4LZCE&feature=related
Click to expand...
It’s another prayer, a prayer before an icon called “Softening of Hearts” or “Seven Swords”…

“Soften our evil hearts, O Theotokos, and quench the attacks of those who hate us
and loose all straitness of our soul. For looking on thy holy icon we are filled with compunction by thy suffering and loving-kindness for us and we kiss thy wounds; we are filled with horror for the darts with which we wound thee. Let us not, O Mother of Compassion, according to the cruelty of our hearts, perish from the cruelty of heart of those near us, for thou art in truth the Softener of Evil Hearts.” (eirenikon.wordpress.com/akathist-to-the-mother-of-god-softener-of-evil-hearts/)

The clip that you posted is absolutely gorgeous. It apparently was recorded by a group of nuns from a Belarusian monastery in Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral. When I listened to it, several of the suggested clips on the side were of the Moscow patriarchal choir – one user appears to have posted quite a lot of clips of that choir. I ended up engrossed in many, many clips by that wonderful male choir. 🙂 youtube.com/watch?v=TKv0-bsBwJ4&feature=related youtube.com/watch?v=Bq3pBRZz0lo&feature=related youtube.com/watch?v=13yb17AeJNI&feature=related youtube.com/watch?v=uItfwEHl8To&feature=related
 
Wow, wonderful links! I wish Russian liturgical music was more common in the Latin rite of the RCC. It’s really beautiful. The last link that you posted (“May my prayer arise to thee”) is just heavenly to listen to. The arrangement of that one reminds me a little more of typical RCC music/Gregorian chant in general than some of the others. Ave Maria! + 🙂
I read something once that described eastern musical arrangements as somehow being “horizontally” situated, while western melodies are more “vertical”. Somehow I get that feeling when I listen to western liturgical music vs. eastern liturgical music; I almost see the difference when I hear it! 😃
Here are a couple other ones I found:
youtube.com/watch?v=fdF2gqKHfsI&feature=related
youtube.com/watch?v=jcNJHOkknEY
 
These are hymns in honour of the miraculous icons of the Most Holy Theotokos that are based on Simeon’s “Nunc Dimittis” where he says that a “sword of sorrow shall pierce your heart.”

Orthodox iconography does not admit the depiction of the Heart of Christ or the Theotokos. However, it does have icons of the Theotokos with swords surrounding her chest.

The icon “Softener of evil hearts” is an icon that one prays before to implore the conversion of sinners and/or people who have strayed from the Church.

Slavic Orthodoxy spirituality is, as a whole, one that is focused on the heart, the prayer of the heart (Jesus Prayer) and “heart-rending” sorrow for one’s sins.

This is why tearful prayer is characteristic of so many Slavic Orthodox saints (as it was of St Benedict of Nursia as well).

Alex
 
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