Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight is an amazing composition for church, choruses, and cello imbued with a deep sense of beauty, as noted by Mstislav Rostropovich. The music is based on the Old Testament Song of Songs, The Song of Solomon, and was conceived by Russian composer Alexander Knaifel (1943-2024) as a "community prayer" to be realized in the most reverberant church acoustics.
The subtle blending of sounds is central to this work, described by Knaifel as "without plot or drama", yet filled with mystery. Cellist Patrick Demenga renounces a soloist's role to surrender to the combined utterances of three choirs, under the direction of Estonian conductor Andres Mustonen, and the pervading atmosphere of the church. The album was recorded in Lucerne’s Jesuitenkirche, known for its exceptional acoustic properties.
Alexander Knaifel was born in 1943 in Tashkent, studied with Mstislav Rostropovich at the Moscow Conservatory, and became one of the most important Russian composers of his generation after shifting his focus from cello studies to composition. He passed away in June 2024 at the age of 80.
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Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight is an amazing composition for church, choruses, and cello imbued with a deep sense of beauty, as noted by Mstislav Rostropovich. The music is based on the Old Testament Song of Songs, The Song of Solomon, and was conceived by Russian composer Alexander Knaifel (1943-2024) as a "community prayer" to be realized in the most reverberant church acoustics.
The subtle blending of sounds is central to this work, described by Knaifel as "without plot or drama", yet filled with mystery. Cellist Patrick Demenga renounces a soloist's role to surrender to the combined utterances of three choirs, under the direction of Estonian conductor Andres Mustonen, and the pervading atmosphere of the church. The album was recorded in Lucerne’s Jesuitenkirche, known for its exceptional acoustic properties.
Alexander Knaifel was born in 1943 in Tashkent, studied with Mstislav Rostropovich at the Moscow Conservatory, and became one of the most important Russian composers of his generation after shifting his focus from cello studies to composition. He passed away in June 2024 at the age of 80.
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Chapter Eight is an amazing composition for church, choruses, and cello imbued with a deep sense of beauty, as noted by Mstislav Rostropovich. The music is based on the Old Testament Song of Songs, The Song of Solomon, and was conceived by Russian composer Alexander Knaifel (1943-2024) as a "community prayer" to be realized in the most reverberant church acoustics.
The subtle blending of sounds is central to this work, described by Knaifel as "without plot or drama", yet filled with mystery. Cellist Patrick Demenga renounces a soloist's role to surrender to the combined utterances of three choirs, under the direction of Estonian conductor Andres Mustonen, and the pervading atmosphere of the church. The album was recorded in Lucerne’s Jesuitenkirche, known for its exceptional acoustic properties.
Alexander Knaifel was born in 1943 in Tashkent, studied with Mstislav Rostropovich at the Moscow Conservatory, and became one of the most important Russian composers of his generation after shifting his focus from cello studies to composition. He passed away in June 2024 at the age of 80.
