Composer: Krzysztof Penderecki
Performer: Iwona Hossa, Agnieszka Rehlis, Piotr Kusiewicz, Piotr Nowacki, Gennady Bezzubenkov, Warsaw Boys’ Choir, Warsaw Philharmonic Choir
Orchestra: Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Antoni Wit
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Naxos
Catalogue: 8572031
Release: 2009
Size: 347 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Utrenja
Part I, “The Entombment of Christ”
01. I. Troparion
02. II. Songs of Praise
03. III. Irmos
04. IV. Canon of the Holy Saturday, Song 9
05. V. Irmologion (Stichira)
Part II, “The Resurrection of Christ”
06. I. The Gospel
07. II. Stichira
08. III. Psalm with Troparion
09. IV. Passover Canon, Songs 1 and 3
10. V. Passover Canon, Song 8
11. VI. Kontakion
12. VII. Ikos
13. VIII. Passover Canon, fragments
Penderecki’s Utrenja was inspired by the Orthodox liturgy for Holy Saturday with its focus on the lamentation of Christ’s death and the Easter Sunday morning service commemorating the Resurrection.
The composer remarks that ‘Utrenja is a combination of pure, a cappella vocal writing and orchestral effects (for strings and percussion) very much connected with electronic music’.
Enthusiastically received by audiences, it stands beside his Polish Requiem (8557386-87) and St Luke Passion (8557149) as one of the towering masterpieces of modern Polish music.