Mikis Theodorakis - Liturgie Nr. 2 "Den Kindern, getötet in Kriegen" / Liturgy No. 2 "For the Young Killed in Wars" (ETERNA, 1985)

The Liturgy No.2, written in 1982 to a commission from the Dresden Kreuzchor, is thematically related to the Third Symphony.

Theodorakis adapted his song cycle "Ta Lirika", originally with instrumental accompaniment, for a cappella chorus, which explains the occasional strange combination of plain homophony and melismatic, polyphonic writing.

Flanked by an evening and a morning prayer, the poems of Tasos Livadhitis take on the form of an all-night vigil, a common feature of Greek Orthodox liturgy.

Tasos Livaditis (Athens, 1922-1988) was a Greek poet. Livaditis studied law at Athens University, but soon his gift for creating poetry was discovered. He had a strong political commitment in the political left movement, and because of that he was condemned, led to exile and has been kept in prison from 1947 till 1951, among others on the island of torture Makronisos, together with Yannis Ritsos, Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Katrakis.

Central to this work is the elegy for the Jewish girl, Anne Frank, based on words written by the composer himself.
The world premiere of the Liturgy No.2 – For the Young Killed in Wars was during the Dresden Music Festival, on 21.5. 1983, sung by the famous Dresdner Kreuzchor under the direction of Kantor Martin Flämig.

This album was recorded in 1983 at Studio Lukaskirche Dresden with the Dresdner Kreuzchor and the conductor Martin Flämig.

Tracklist:

Abendgebet	2:48
Cherubengesang Für Die Brüder Des Regens	2:49
Das Gebet Des Windes	3:02
Psalm Für Die Heilige Stadt	3:11
Klagetrommel Aus Asphalt	2:22
Der Heilige Che	2:06
Psalm Für Die Heiligen Musiker	2:51
Anne Frank - Ibrahim - Emiliano	1:52
Der Tag Der Apokalypse	2:09
Die Heilige Mutter	2:08
Halleluja - Kalamatianos Für Die Märtyrer Partisanen	2:29
Totem Sohne	1:50
Gloria	2:31
Morgengebet · Psalm Für Die Liebe	1:52

01. Vespers
02. Cherub’s Chant to the Brothers and Sisters of the Rain
03. The Prayer of the Wind
04. Psalm for the Holy State
05. Dirge of the Rain
06. The Holy Che
07. Psalm for the Holy Musician
08. Anne Frank – Ibrahim – Emiliano
09. The Day of the Apocalypse
10. The Holy Mother
11. Kalamata Hallelujah for the Partisan Martyrs
12. To a Dead Son
13. Gloria
14. Matins – Psalm to Love

Poems: 01.-07. / 09.-11.: Tasos Livaditis – Poems: 08./12.-14.: Mikis Theodorakis

Mikis Theodorakis - Liturgie Nr. 2 "Den Kindern, getötet in Kriegen" / Liturgy No. 2 "For the Young Killed in Wars" (ETERNA, 1985)
(256 kbps, front cover included)