Language help?

[dominicsavio]

Please forgive my ignorance of language…but can someone please listen to the sample of “Credo” and tell me in which language the Creed is being sung in this recording? amazon.com/Glory-Byzantium-Lycourgos-Angelopoulos/dp/B000ENC75E I purchased that track from itunes a while back and every time I listen I am completely blown away by its beauty. I can’t stop listening to it and praying with it! Of all the Byzantine chants I have heard so far, that one is my favorite.

Thank you very much for your help!

 

[CDB1718]

The Creed is chanted in Serbian. The music is a blend of Serbian, Russian, and Greek chant traditions.

Description
Among the most recent recordings by Lycourgos Angelopoulos, this time with the Byzantien Choir of Greece and soloist performance by Divna Ljubojevic–a Serbian cantor with the Melodi Choir. The performance then, alternates between traditional “Greek” style Byzantine chant and “Russian” style Serbian chant. Liner notes by Michel Adamis on Byzantine Chant are very well written and helpful. No hymn text.

Review By: Benjamin Williams
The counterpoint that this recording provides, between traditional Byzantine chant performed by one of the most well known names in that genre, and Russian-style Serbian chant by a relative new comer, is both novel and refreshing. Both genres are exceedingly well performed, and they mesh together as a representation of the historic and geographic “glory” of Byzantium in a manner that is somewhat unexpected, given the Byzantine emphasis on melody and the Russian emphasis on harmony. On the one hand, for instance, “The Great Supplicatory Kanon” is pure Greek Byzantine style and superb. On the other, Divna’s performance of the Magnificat (Hail Mary) is almost breathtaking, and Divna performing in Byzantine style with the Byzantine Choir of Greece, as in “Axion Estin” is magnificent. Also included are hymns arranged by Petros Lambadarios. The only missing element is hymn text. It is, though, still a wonderful and edifying listening experience.

 

[dominicsavio]

Thank you for your help! I appreciate it!

I had never heard Serbian before and couldn’t figure out which language it was…just beautiful. I believe I have heard that Creed (or a very similar one) used in the Byzantine liturgy before and it is not nearly as beautiful in English (though still very good).

Their voices, the tones, harmonies, the language…I love everything about that one. And it always moves me to prayer upon listening.

Again, I appreciate your response and your inclusion of those notes/review. I found those helpful. Thank you!

 

[wynd]

Divna Ljubojevic is Serbian but I believe that recording is in Church Slavonic, not Serbian.

Edit: The Creed itself is in Church Slavonic, but the deacon’s exclamation at the start “The doors, the doors, in wisdom let us attend” is in Serbian.