Wednesday, 18 December 2013, 19.00 hours, the traditional concert of carols entitled the “Sunrise” was held in the presence and with the blessing of His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania. The moderator of the event was deacon Teodor Gradinaciuc.
Madrigal Chamber chorus and Tronos psaltic group in concert
This year the concert was performed by Madrigal national chamber chorus which performed a programme of national and international carols. Thus, the following carols were sung: The Star is Rising (Ioan D. Chirescu), Beautiful is the Heaven (Iulian Carstoiu), Three magi from the East (collected by Anton Pann), O, what a wonderful news and Departure of the Magi (Dumitru G. Chiriac), At Bethlehem (Nicolae Lungu), Needle leaves (Gheorghe Cucu), The Carollers Are Coming (Tibereiu Bediceanu), Adoration of the Magi (Vasile I. Popovici), Christmas is coming in the evening (Nicolae Ursu), Lord in the Heaven (Gheorghe Cucu), Santa Claus (Ion V. Borgovan/ Octavian Goga), Glory in the Heaven (Nicolae Lungu), Navidad nuestra: Los reyes magos, El nacimento (Ariel Ramirez), Noel (Adolf Adam), Joy to the World (Georg Fr. Haendel), We are carolling (Mihail Barca).
Tronos psaltic chorus of the Patriarchal Cathedral performed the first
To end with, the Primate of the Orthodox Church delivered a speech in which he spoke about the carols tradition in the Orthodox Church, about the importance of the feast of the Nativity of the Lord, and emphasised the activity of Madrigal chorus.
Distinctions and gifts for carollers
Then, Madrigal National Chamber Chorus was awarded the Patriarchal Cross honorary distinction, and each member of the chorus was awarded the homage diploma and medal of Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen. Tronos church was also awarded the Sanctus Stephanus Magnus order. The carollers received gifts on behalf of the Patriarch of Romania.
Personalities of the Romanian public life, collaborators from the central and local public institutions of the Patriarchal Administration and of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, collaborators and supporters of Basilica Press Centre, members of the Church National Council and of the Eparchial Council of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, professors from Patriarch Justinian Faculty of Orthodox Theology, and from the Orthodox Theological Seminary of Bucharest and other guests were present at the concert.
The concert was broadcast live by Trinitas radio and television stations of the Romanian Patriarchate.
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Madrigal Chorus
Madrigal National Chamber Chorus is an emblem of the Romanian musical life, a professional group set up in 1963 by conductor Marin Constantin. In 50 years of existence the chorus represented Romania in the world, having become a true country brand. In five decades of artistic life Madrigal National Chamber Chorus performed over 4100 concerts in the country and on the prestigious scenes of Europe, USA, Japan, Turkey, Korea etc., conquering the eulogy of the Romanian and international musical critics, having been awarded many prices and distinctions, and reaching the climax with the title of Good of UNESCO Cultural Patrimony (Paris – 1992).
The prestigious activity of Madrigal is implemented in: 46 CD-s recorded at Electrecord House; Mysterium CD with Angela Gheorghiu, London Philharmonic Orchestra and Ion Marin conductor, issued at DECCA House in 2006; 24 short-reel films and television films made from 1967 – 2010 in Romania, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Japan, Macedonia, “Renaissance Songs – produced by Mirel Iliesu awarded the Grand Prix Palme d’Or at Cannes International Festival – 1968; BBC film with Angela Gheorghiu at the Monasteries of Bucovina; they collaborated with conductors and prestigious orchestras in the chamber vocal symphonic field; Sinfonietta Orchestra of Berlin and Philharmonic of Munich conducted by Ion Marin, Chamber Simfonica Orchestra of Bremen – conductor Louis Langree and soprano Natalie Dessay, Concertgebouw National Orchestra of Amsterdam – conductor Ferdinand Leitner, Virtuous of Bucharest – conductor Horia Andreescu and in 2013 edition of George Enescu International Festival the collaboration with The Kings Consort.
Madrigal National Chamber Chorus has been conducted by Voicu Popescu since 2011 – remarkable personality of the Romanian and international chorus life, disciple and follower of Marin Constantin. This year (2013) Madrigal Chamber Chorus celebrated five decades of uninterrupted artistic activity, 50 years of excellence in the universal musical patrimony.
Tronos Psalmic Group
Tronos Psalmic Group was set up in 1997, at the initiative of Rev Archdeacon Mihail Buca and it is made up of young theologians fond of psaltic music of Byzantine music. Tronos name was given at the initiative of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel in 2007. Tronos group distinguishes itself through the accuracy of the psaltic performance by which the message of the liturgical text is specially emphasised. A part of the members of Tronos psaltic group of the Patriarchal Cathedral collaborate with various other such groups of the country for keeping and conveying the Romanian Orthodox ethos of the religious music in the eparchies of the Romanian Patriarchate. During the last six years the psaltic group of the Patriarchal Cathedral performed many concerts of Byzantine music in the country and abroad very appreciated by the music lovers and recorded several CD-s of music typical for every liturgical period.
