Capella Romana unveils new recording “Venice in the East”
National tour dates confirmed
“Bathed in glittering acoustics” — NY Times
“Here we have the answer to what this music can mean to us today” — LA Times
Listen here: Youtube
03/01/2019 (Portland, OR) – Capella Records has released its highly-anticipated new recording by Capella Romana, “Venice in the East: Renaissance Crete & Cyprus,” a recording of transformative experience, steeped in history.
Capella Romana is a professional vocal ensemble dedicated to combining passion with scholarship in its exploration of the early and contemporary musical traditions of the Christian East and West. Audiences describe its performances as inspiring, moving experiences; as the music reverberates it penetrates deep into your soul.
The music on this recording has been meticulously researched and comes from a time and place when Venice ruled over the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. History buffs will appreciate the extensive liner notes describing the period, the composers, and how the music was incorporated into religious ceremony.
The recording witnesses the shared cultural space between Greeks and Latins, and marks the similarities between their respective traditions in celebrating Paschal Triduum, the period from Good Friday to Easter Sunday, when Christ was crucified and resurrected.
As you listen you feel the experience. The gravity of Christ’s crucifixion falls on you and you sense the profound sadness in the Verses of Lamentation, just as Christ’s followers would have felt. You walk through the ancient rites performed by both the Venetians and Byzantines on Easter Sunday, such as the procession to the closed church doors. The crowd knocks on the doors and chants “Lift up your gates.” You are there when the myrrh-bearing women are confronted by the angel at the empty tomb.
As you listen you walk through the emotional journey that Mary and the Disciples trod. The marching, the chanting, the buzzing hum, the solemn exaltations sound sacred, holy, mystical. You need not be a long-time fan of Capella Romana or a Christian to appreciate the intensity of the experience, as it goes much deeper than that; it speaks to the human spirit.
“Venice in the East” is a profound recording with the ability to move you on an emotional and spiritual level. It is a testament to the power of music – something everyone can rejoice in.
Capella Romana’s recording “Venice in the East” is available for purchase here.
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