Ikon, Vol. 2

Sacred Choral Music from Eastern Europe

In 1997, the Holst Singers and Stephen Layton produced a disc that immediately became a cult classic and a best-seller. ‘Ikon’, a selection of great Russian choral music from the 19th century, dazzled with its grand, opulent beauty. Now the same forces return with Ikon II. Many of the works recorded here are by composers whose names will not be familiar—but the extraordinary quality of the music is unmistakable and immediately enthralling.

CDA67756 71 minutes 21 seconds

‘The programme is scrupulously prepared, with excellent pronunciation, idiomatic timbres and a fine fusion of ardent communication and sensitive shaping. The disc was recorded in the superb acoustic o ...
‘In hymns, prayers, invocations and anthems. These composers draw on ancient chant to produce music which is always passionate … beautifully captured by the Holst Singers’ (Choir & Organ)
‘Performing with insight and commendable Russian sonority, the Holst Singers have cast their net wide in this survey of Orthodox Church music. The main focus is the pre-Revolution period of the early ...