SATB a cappella & Soprano Solo — c. 4’

The central movement of Akathist, and the quiet beating heart of my own personal musical vision. A four-bar ostinato based on a Plainchant melody undergirds a gently ornamented vocal line inspired by South African folk music. When humans can look beyond their differences and collaborate on creating beauty—even if only for a moment—the world can feel like a paradise.

“In the wondrous blending of sounds it is thy call we hear. In the harmony of many voices, in the sublime beauty of music, in the glory of the works of great composers, thou art there showing us the threshold of the paradise that is to come. All true beauty has the power to draw the soul towards thee, and to make it sing in ecstasy: Alleluia!”

—Tryphon Turkestanov
trans. John Mikitish
Copyright © 2019 St. Tikhon’s Monastery Press.
All rights reserved. Used with permission.