Concert—Deep Roots Are Not Reached by the Frost: The Enduring Russian Sacred Choral Tradition, 1830 to the Present
On May 31, at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Danbury, CT, the St. Tikhon of Zadonsk Chamber Choir will give a concert of Russian Orthodox liturgical music in the final installment of the church’s third annual “Music on the Mount” concert series. The St. Tikhon of Zadonsk Chamber Choir is an ensemble of Orthodox professional…
Continue reading »Aesthetic Nepsis, Enargeia and Theophany: Looking for the Christian Image
This article was written by Dr. Cornelia Tsakiridou, associate professor at LaSalle University and author of Icons in Time, Persons in Eternity. The content is based on the talk Dr. Tsakiridou gave at Princeton University on March 13th, 2014 which was sponsored by Princeton’s Orthodox Christian Fellowship and Florovsky Society. Introduction (1) Saint Porphyrios the Kausokalyvite used to…
Continue reading »Steatite Icons and Material Symbolism
One of the points many OAJ contributors have been trying to bring across is that the medium out of which sacred art is made and the artful human act of fabrication are important on a symbolic and theological level. This question of materiality and production have become crucial ones in our age of mechanical reproduction…
Continue reading »Review of Cappella Romana’s Passion Week Performance
(the Wall Street Journal also reviewed this performance:’Passion’ and Resurrection) During Capella Romana’s recent performance of Soviet composer Maximilian Steinberg’s lost work, something became evident to the singers and the audience: while Steinberg’s Passion week is a very complex and lovely piece of choral music, it is a profound confession of faith. Vladimir Morosan gave…
Continue reading »What is missing from Aronofsky’s Noah
In many of my past articles I have explored the symbolism of death and how it is related in the Bible and by our Tradition to the arts and technology, to hybridity and the foreigner, the serpent, to the cave, to Cain, to animality and to periphery in general. Aranofsky’s recent Noah movie deals intently with many…
Continue reading »Holy Icons in Today’s World (Pt.3): Ecology
We turn now to our second subject of ecology, looking in particular at icons of Pentecost and Transfiguration. [Pentecost]When I was learning to drive, one of the first things I was told was to keep my eyes on the road because the car would follow my gaze. It is the same with any civilisation: its…
Continue reading »Lost Russian Passion Week Cycle , Opus 13, by Maximilian Steinberg to debut 90 years after composition
Living in a University town offers many benefits. One of the most delightful is meeting Orthodox scholars from all over the world. It was my pleasure to meet Alexander Lingas, the author of the following article. Knowing of Father Dan Skvir’s love of music, his discovery of a long forgotten piece of music and…
Continue reading »Holy Icons in Today’s World (Pt.2): Icons and Modern Art
The transfiguration icon and modern art Christ takes with him His disciples Peter, James and John up a mountain, traditionally taken to be Mount Tabor. The Gospels then tell us that Christ’s face and garments shine with light, brighter than the sun. Moses and Elijah also appear before the disciples, talking with Jesus about His…
Continue reading »Some New Musical Repertoire in Honor of the Mother of God
One of the rewards of working with a group of professional-level singers such as Archangel Voices (www.archangelvoices.com) is the opportunity to explore and record, often for the very first time, some newly composed or newly arranged Orthodox sacred choral repertoire. Even more rewarding is to hear on occasion that our efforts have met with approbation…
Continue reading »American Orthodox Church Furniture
Founder of the Orthodox Arts Journal, church architect and craftsman Andrew Gould wrote the following concerning furniture in the Orthodox Church: The presence of furniture reveals the welcoming and comfortable aspect of the Kingdom of God. All is not judgment and fear in church. We are called to attend church as though we are coming…
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