Концерты Для Хора № IV, XXVIII, XV, X, XXV

This 1987 Melodiya release features a selection of choral concertos by the 18th-century composer Dmitri Bortniansky, performed by the USSR Ministry of Culture Chamber Choir under the direction of Valery Polyansky. Bortniansky, often referred to as the Russian Palestrina, played a pivotal role in shaping the Russian Orthodox choral tradition by blending traditional chant with the sophisticated polyphonic techniques he mastered while studying in Italy. His concertos are celebrated for their balanced structure, lyrical elegance, and profound spiritual depth, representing a sophisticated synthesis of European classical style and the Russian liturgical aesthetic.

The recording emerged during a significant period for the state-run Melodiya label, as Soviet cultural policies began to allow for wider distribution of high-quality sacred and classical repertoire. Polyansky, a renowned choral conductor, was instrumental in championing this material, bringing a nuanced, technical precision to the interpretation that highlighted the clarity of Bortniansky’s vocal lines. Upon its release in the late 1980s, the album was well-received for its archival value and the choir's disciplined performance, which helped reintroduce a broader audience to the complexity of pre-revolutionary Russian choral music during the final years of the Soviet Union.