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Produced by Yves Touati & Israël David
Director of the Collection : Father Elisha

Saint Mark Syriac Community Choir, Jerusalem - CD -
Public recording of the choir of the parish of the Syrian Orthodox parish of Jerusalem, recorded Friday, 5 February 1999, in the chapel of the Syriac monastery of Saint Mark.
Celebrant : Metropolitan Sévérios Malki Mourad.

Hear a Sample

1/"Our Father" - 2/Hymn to the Martyrs "Qourbana" (Mass). Anaphora of Saint John the Evangelist - 3/Trisagion Hymn - 4/Reading of the Gospel - 5/Preparation of the Offering - 6/Blessing of the Incense - 7/Credo - 8/Sanctus - 9/Anamnesis (prayer of consecration) - 10/Epiclesis (invocation of the Holy Spirit) - 11/Intercession & Lord's Prayer - 12/Communion Hymn - 13/Thanksgiving - 14/Dismissal - 15/Three Christmas Hymns

The small Syriac Orthodox community of Jerusalem can claim to be the heir of the first church of the apostles.  The community speaks a dialect of Aramaic that is almost identical to the language spoken by Jesus and his apostles, and the community has preserved, over the trials of two millennia, a number of Judeo-Christian elements, especially in community's liturgy.  This heroic church offers us the closest possible image of the first generations of Christianity. 

Monastery of Saint Macarius - CD -
Performed by the choir of the Monastery of Saint Macarius, Scété Desert, Egypt
Recorded during the night between Saturday, 16 January, and Sunday, 17 January, 1999, in the main church of the Monastery of Saint Macarius.

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1/First Ode : Canticle of Moses - 2/"Ken oshout" - 3/Second Ode : Psalm 135 - 4/Psalie "Adam" - 5/Third Ode : Hymn of the Three Children - 6/"Tenen" - 7Doxology of the Virgin - 8/Fourth Ode : Psalms 148 to 150 -9/Psalm of the Sunday : "My Lord Jesus" - 10/Conclusion of the Midnight Office

The Coptic monastery of Saint Macarius is one of the rare places in the world that can boast of a permanent monastic presence since the Fourth Century.  Today, this community of 120 members resides in an impressive monastery-fortress, that is both an ecological and spiritual oasis in the desert, and which holds an important place in the renewal of the Coptic Church.    One of its many accomplishments is the restoration of the traditional Coptic singing, one of the most ancient and original musics of the world. 

Monastery of the Assumption, Beth Jamal - CD -
Performed by the choir of nuns of the Monastery of the Assumption, Beth Jamal.

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1/Thrice Holy Hymn (Arabic) - 2/"Our Father" (Arabic) 1 - 3/"Come, Let Us Adore.." (Arabic) - 4/Fifth Antiphon of Easter (Cistercian) - 5/Psalm 110 (Hebrew) - 6/Service of Light (Arabic) - 7/Psalms of the Service of Light : 141, 142, 130 & 117 (Arabic) - 8/Hymn "Joyous Light" (Arabic) - 9/Christmas Exaposteilarion (Arabic) - 10/Alleluia (Carthusian) - 11/Easter Troparion (Arabic) - 12/Psalm 136 (Arabic - 13/Megalynaria , Easter Canon, Saint John of Damascus (Arabic) - 14/Easter Troparion (Greek) - 15/Seventh Antiphon of Easter (Cistercian) - 16/Psalm 96 (Hebrew ) - 17/Hymn of the Cherubim (Arabic) - 18/Easter Alleluia (Cistercian) - 19/"Our Father" (Hebrew) 1'35 - 20/"Maranatha", Come Lord...

The Monastery of the Assumption at  Beth Jamal  is a contemplative community of nuns devoted to the perpetual adoration of the Holy Trinity and the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, with the Virgin Mary.  Inspired by the organization of the Eastern lavras, the nuns live in silence and prayer, hidden from view.  Their liturgical ceremonies follow the tradition of Eastern Christianity and are celebrated in local languages.  Their singing is the expression of their contemplation.

The Dormition Abbey Choir - CD -
Performed by the choir of monks of  Hagia Maria Sion et and students of Beth Joseph.
Recorded 21 March 1999 in the Basilica of the Dormition.

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1/Introduction, First Antiphon & Psalm 92 - 2/Second Antiphon & Psalm 63 - 3/Third Antiphon & Old Testament Canticle - 4/Fourth Antiphon & Psalm 147B - 5/Reading of the New Testament & Responsorium - 6/Hymn "Urbs Jérusalem" & Versicle - 7/Canticle, Antiphon & "Benedictus" - 8/Litany, Lord's Prayer & closing of Matins - 9/Introduction to Compline, "Shema Israël" & Evening Prayer - 10/Anthem & Psalm 31 - 11/Reading & Thanksgiving - 12/Compline Hymn - 13/Praise and closing Benediction - 14/Antiphon to Our Lady

The Benedictine community that lives in the abbey of  Hagia Maria Sion – better known under the name of the  Dormition – continues the tradition of prayer in a special place, special first for the first generations of Judeo-Christians and the for the Byzantines.  In harmony with the mystery to which the church is dedicated, the glorious Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the monks bear witness to the intersection of Time and Eternity. 

Monastery of Saint John of the Desert - CD -
Performed by the choir of Schema-Monks of the Monastery of Saint John of the Desert.  Ison : Stéphane Verhelst.
Recorded on Good Friday 1999 in the chapel of the Monastery of Saint John of the Desert.

Hear a Sample

1/Alleluia & Troparion of Good Friday - 2/Third Antiphon of the Service of the Holy Sufferings  - 3/Beatitudes of the Service of the Holy Sufferings - 4/Exaposteilarion of the Service of the Holy Sufferings - 5/Gospel of the Ninth Hour (John 19: 23-37) - 6/Lucernarium of Vespers & 4 verses - 7/Doxasticon of the Aposticha of Vespers - 8/Stanzas of the Burial Office

The Greek Catholic monastery of Saint John of the Desert is at once a renowned site of Ecumenism and one of the most beautiful places in the Holy Land.  Independent of any fashion, for several years it has been the pioneer in the adaptation of Byzantine music in the French language.  The aim of the monastic choir is not so much vocal virtuosity but rather spiritual authenticity.

- CD -

1/Prokimenon of Sunday Matins, Romanian Choir of Stavropoleos - 2/"Shema Israël" Abby of the Dormition - 3/Blessing of the Incense - Syriac Choir of Saint Mark - 4/Third Antiphon of the Service of the Holy Sufferings - Monastery of Saint John of the Desert - 5/Easter Alleleuia - Nuns Bet Gemal - 6/Conclusion of the Midnight Office - Coptic Monastery of Saint Macarius - 7/Compline Hymn -Abbey of the Dormition - 8/Trisagion - Syriac Choir of Saint Mark - 9/ Lucernarium and versesstichères - Monastery of Saint John of the Desert - 10/Greek Troparion of Easter - Nuns of Bet Gema - 11/Hymn to the Martyrs - Syriac Choir of Saint Mark - 12/ Fifth Antiphon of Easter - Nuns of Bet Gemal - 13/Doxology to the Virgin - Coptic Monastery of Saint Macarius  - 14/Litany, Lord's Prayer, and closing of Matins  Abbaye de la Dormition - 15/"Salve régina" - Abbey of the Dormition  - 16/Exaposteilarion of the Service of the Holy Sufferings - Monastery of Saint John of the Desert - 17/"Ken oshout" - Coptic Monastery of Saint Macarius - 18/"Our Father" in Hebrew - Nuns of Bet Gemal - 19/Third Antiphon and Canticle - Abbey of the Dormition - 20/"Maranatha", Viens "Come Lord"

Musica Sancta is the only collection presenting all of the ancient liturgical traditions found in Jerusalem.  The collection the musical and spiritual treasure that is unequaled elsewhere in the world.  The voices of these communities provide to listeners an authentic echo of Pentecost. 
A magnificent set of 5 CD's.