August 10, 2018 — Recording Release

The Naxos label has released The Clarion Choir's second recording: the world premiere recording of Alexander Kastalsky's Memory Eternal to the Fallen Heroes, written in 1917 to honor those who lost their lives in the First World War. As the leader of the Moscow Synodal School of Church Singing, Kastalsky was an important influence on Gretchaninoff, Chesnokov and Rachmaninoff, among many others. This work, written at the height of his career, consists of hymns from the Russian Orthodox Memorial Service (Panihida). Memory Eternal to the Fallen Heroes and the three short sacred pieces that end the programme reveal Kastalsky’s masterful use of choral sonority and color, his weaving of complex polyphonic textures, and his graceful use of ancient chant melodies.

Kastalsky Memory Eternal to the Fallen Heroes
The Clarion Choir/Steven Fox

2019 GRAMMY nominee - Best Choral Performance
Gramophone - Editor's Choice (October)
BBC Music Magazine - Five Stars for Performance, Five Stars for Production (November)
MusicWeb International - Recording of the Month (October)

Available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, ArkivMusic, NaxosDirect