(LIVE BLOG) "THE PLACE OF SILENCE", PART 1 OF "GREAT HOURS" ORATORIO

On the occasion of Orthodox Pascha on May 5 we posted the free, 90 minutes modern oratorio "The Great Hours" (link) composed by Greek composer, Andreas Katsigiannis, in a production of Pemptousia for the Institute "St. Maximos the Graekos" (Wiki) (official website). On the new album part 1 "The Place if Silence" is performed by George Dalaras and Jonathan Jackson and is available on your music platform via this link. A new album has also been released with the epilogue of "Great Hours" titled "Meta Doksis" (After the Glory), the third cycle of the oratorio of songs and orchestral themes. In the video below the movement called "The Myrrh Bearers" sung by Eleni Vitali. "Meta Doksis" is available on your music service (link). 


May 5, 2021 Andres Katsigiannis: The Place of Silence - Small biography, sung by Giorgos Dalaras. 

Whereas the earlier release of part 3 of the oratorio composed by Andreas Katsigiannis of the epilogue, "After Glory", "Great Hours" (scroll down), part 1, "The Place of Silence" is integrated in the original performance (link) .


May 5, 2021 Andres Katsigiannis: The Place of Silence - Here the Mind Stops, by Giorgos Dalaras. 

The "Place of Silence" is Mount Athos, this place between heaven and earth and is an ode to Greek Orthodoxy's modern saint, St. Joseph the Hysechast.  The logos is at the beginning of everything. Katsigiannis talks about the project in an article on Pemptousia blog (autotranslation) about the rendition of Dalaras.


May 15, 2024 Institute "St. Maximos the Graekos" - Golgotha, narrated by Tasos Nousias.

In the new release Giorgos Dalaras has taken the place Dimitris Bassis, who performed on the live rendition of "Great Hours".  Katsigiannis said this about about Dalaras: 

"In the collective consciousness, in the feeling and in the heart of the Greek song, Giorgos Dalaras has managed to say, sing and express in the most direct and at the same time deep and essential way, the meaning of every word he has sung. With the voice of "Silence the Place" acquires a voice."


May 5, 2021 Andres Katsigiannis: The Place of Silence - The Ascent, featuring Jonathan Jackson. 

"The Place of Silence" is completed by Jonathan Jackson with one of his great performances. Jonathan Jackson's personal journey from international cinema and Hollywood to Mount Athos on the one hand and the journey of the lyrics and the message they convey from Greek to English and their dissemination to a wider audience.


July19, 2021 Institute "St. Maximos the Graekos" - Meeting with Jonathan Jackson for the album "The Place of Silence" with Rise TV.


~o~


May 20, 2024

"THE HOLY MYRRH BEARERS", PART 3 OF "GREAT HOURS" ORATORIO



May 20, 2024 St. Maximos the Graekos Institute: Jonathan Jackson – Myrrh Bearers | Official Music Video. 

St. Maximos the Graekos Institute channel just posted an English language rendition of "The Myrrh Bearers" by five time Emmy award winning American musician and actor, Jonathan Jackson. He's made a great translation of the Greek text that is so much better than the auto translation we originally posted. 

There's is an interview of Ancient Faith Radio with Jonathan on the posting of "Great Hours" Pascha Concert, as well as a link to a poem from his hand on the Harrowing of Hades. 

~o~


May 18, 2024 Institute "St. Maximos the Graekos": Eleni Vitali, "The Myrrh Bearers" | Official Music Video.

Eastern Orthodoxy marks today the third Sunday of Holy Pascha, the Sunday of the Holy Myrrh Bearers. The day commemorates when the women disciples of our Lord came to the tomb to anoint his body with myrrh but found the tomb empty. As the women wondered what this meant, angels appeared proclaiming that Christ had risen from the dead. Christ Is Risen! Truly He Is Risen! Χριστὸς ἀνέστη! Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη!
 
Lyrics of The Myrrh Bearers

The souls who love you
Are the glorious ones
They shine so bright
Along the dark horizon
Like little burning suns
Their love and their humility
On the edge of infinity
Anoints their faces
With a thousand radiant smiles.

Τι όμορφες που είναι οι ψυχές, 
Που σ᾿ αγαπούν, 
Λάμπουν στον ορίζοντα σαν ήλιοι, 
Που μιλούν, 
Μ᾿ αγάπη και ταπείνωση, 
Στου άπειρου την πύλη, 
Κι αστράφτουνε πολύ γλυκά, 
Χαμόγελα στα χείλη.

The birds were singing to the dawn
The garden stirred awake
The women bearing holy myrrh
were mourning at the grave
So many years have passed us by
In golden sunset shade
The memories of a bitter life
That melts away.

Ήταν πρωί και τα πουλιά στον κήπο,
Κελαηδούσαν, 
Και οι Μυροφόρες πήγαιναν στον τάφο, 
Και θρηνούσαν, 
Με χρώματα του δειλινού περάσαν, 
Τόσα χρόνια, 
Ανάμνηση πικρής ζωής που πήγε, 
Σαν τα χιόνια.

Music: Andreas Katsigiannis
Lyrics: Alexandros Foteinos
Orchestrations: Dimitris Siampos

Andreas Katsigiannis plays: piano, santouri, synthetic sounds. 

The musicians
Dimitris Siampos: Guitars, Electric Bass, Percussion, Programming
Giannis Papadopoulos: Piano
Kostas Patsiotis: Contrabass
Alexandros Arkadopoulos: Clarino, Kavala 
Chrysanthi Gkika: Politiki Lyra
Nikos Mermigas: Lafta, Lute, Mandolin 
Giorgos Skordalos: Cretan Lyra 
Vahan Galstyan: Duduk, Flogera 
Thodoris Mouzakitis: Violin 
Konstantinos Karitzis: Violin
Eva Karamolegkou: Violin
Tatiana Litra: Violin 
Eleutheria Toya: Viola
Michalis Porfyris: Cello

A few words by Andreas Katsigiannis about the oratorio. 

"It took almost five whole years to complete the trilogy entitled, "Great Hours". "The Place of Silence", "Grace" and now the epilogue, "After Glory". The final work of the three, full of symbolism, based on the Divine Passion, centers on Christ and the Virgin Mary. From Calvary, to the Crucifixion and from the Resurrection to Pentecost.

The story of the God-man, through martyrdom and struggle, not survival, but the struggle that was based on repentance, forgiveness and transmutation into love and sacrifice for man. The symbolism and value of his Mother, the Virgin, her sacrifice and her presence.

The work is dominated by the symbolism, which may come from antiquity, such as the myth of Prometheus, or the story of Gionis, the man who became a bird, having asked God to accept his repentance and forgiveness, for he killed his brother and so God made him a bird to lament him, according to legend and tradition." 

Listen to the album "Meta Doksis" on your music service (link).
Watch "The Great Hours" on this link.


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