Let My Prayer Be Set Forth

Let My Prayer Be Set Forth

Artist: St. Mark of Ephesus Byzantine Choir
Item number: AB116
Category: Byzantine
Chant Type: Byzantine
Language: Greek
Label: St. Mark of Ephesus Byzantine Choir
Period: Contemporary
Length: 48'13
Release date: 2010
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Price: $17.00 USD
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1. Let my prayer be set forth (Psalm 140:2) (Plagal of First Tone)

2. God is the Lord and the Dismissal Hymns of the Third Sunday of Pascha (Second Tone)

3. My heart hath poured forth a good word (Psalm 44)-Theodore Fodaius (Plagal of Fourth Tone)

4. Kathismata of the Transfiguration: Clearly showing the exchange (Plagal of Second Tone Nenano)

5. From my youth and the Matinal Prokeimenon of the Ascension (Fourth Tone)

6. O ye faithful, let us praise, from the Great Blessing of the Waters at Theophany (Plagal of Second Tone)

7. It is truly meet , "The Patriarchal" (Plagal of First Tone)

8. Communion Hymn: Praise the Lord from the heavens-Ioannis Proropsaltis (Plagal of Fourth Tone)


A recording in Greek and English of a selection of hymns from Vespers and the Divine Liturgy, as well as various Feasts. Liner notes include hymn text in Greek and English. The choir performs from the received tradition of the Orthodox Church, using Byzantine notation, under the direction of Spyridon Antonopoulos, who describes the hymn selection for this CD as follows. "The hymns on our first recording, "Let my prayer be set forth", are not taken from one particular feast or service. Rather, they are a collection of hymns selected from the daily order of services of the Orthodox church, both from regular as well as festal periods. For our inaugural recording, we wanted to take the listener through a wide array of hymnology, exposing them to material varied in modality, tempi, style, and hymnographic content. In addition, we endeavored to present the material with a consideration for the liturgical order in which the hymn is found throughout the daily cycle of services. Thus, the CD begins with a compunctionate, sticheraric melody in Plagal First Mode from the Vespers of Presanctified Liturgy, and then progresses through Matins, with four selections (God is the Lord, Polyeleos, Kathismata, and Anavathmoi) and ends with two selections from the Divine Liturgy (Megalynarion and Koinonikon). The sixth track is a beloved idiomelon chanted during the Great Blessing of the Waters on Theophany, and including this selection, the recording spans four major feasts of the Master (Pascha - Track 2, Transfiguration - Track 3, and Ascension - Track 5). Finally, it was important for us to present material in both Greek and English, in the manner in which we chant on a regular basis at our home parish, to hopefully emphasize the point that proper Byzantine chant can adhere to tradition and adapt to English while remaining a coherent whole."

By: Benjamin Williams

The first striking thing about this recording, is not that every single sound is perfectly smooth or rounded; rather, it is the maturity of the hymn selection and the quality of the performance for a first recording. This is a serious choir that clearly works hard to deliver an authentic sound in the "received tradition" of Byzantine chant. Rather than a recording of "favorite chants from Vespers and the Liturgy," the hymn selection includes the most meditative and contemplative hymns of Vespers, certainly the same from the Divine Liturgy (the Communion Hymn), and then includes particular hymns from various feasts. To take three examples, "God is the Lord," us sung in a thrillingly blended choir voice, with a very good antiphonal exchange, and exceptionally smooth transition between Greek and English. "My Heart hath poured forth.." arranged by Theodore Fokaeus begins with a rock solid, deep ison, and then the melody is methodically sung over it--in a manner reminiscent of the compositions of Ioannis Koukouzelis. The selection of the Communion Hymn arranged by Ioannis Protopsalits is likewise unusual and striking for its contemplative, slow and structured character, and the chanted nuance from start to finish is impressive. While there are a few points to still be polished, this is a deft performance, and an outstanding first recording.