Profound Bass. Indeed, I am really absorbed by this group from a monastery north of St Petersburg Russia. They are directed by Georgy Smirnov. “The choir emerges like the breath of God and rolls on in a vibrant acoustic that’s perfectly suited to the voices, which resonate as much in the solar plexus as in the ear.” I have never listened to a group that has such a commanding bass presence. In fact, I think that Boris, Viktor, and Yuri must be some of the only basses who have the ability to reach notes in those octaves and sound so good, unamplified. These are the names of the three basses who sing together on this recording.
I am carried away to other lands, other, times by the haunting Orthodox songs and Slavic folk melodies. I realize though that the men who are singing these songs are not removed from this world. They live within a Russian “world” in my time, surrounded by all the ancient traditions of the Orthodox church and by the deep commitment that they have made to a life of celibacy. They are monks. When I think about monks and I hear these men sing the liturgical songs, I cannot help but compare my life to theirs and consider what their existence must be like; as far as my imagination allows me to. They are men whom I really admire. Men of God. When I read what Paul says in I Corinthians 7:32 -34: “The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided.” I am impressed by the way that these men have “reserved” themselves for the sake of God’s service. I know that monasticism developed out of a mixture of things: desire to be in communion with God, the desire to earn a right standing before God by living in a “more right” way, and the desire to separate one’s self from all the things that are “worldly”/ physical and would draw us away from God; gnosticism. But despite the reasons in history for which monasticism arose, think with me for a while what the lives of these men must be like. This is my imagination. They live within cold, stone buildings in the northwestern part of Russia. An area of the world known for its high consumption of vodka, due to the bitter winters and addiction. Most recently the home of thousands, who will die from acute liver disease from tainted vodka sold on the black market. These monks live have committed their lives to the furtherance of the Kingdom of God. This is something that should motivate us all; their commitment to the call of God to all men. But I am a male too, and I can feel this amazing power that grips me and makes me want to follow in their steps. Some of the richness that a life like this must hold. Yet with that, I feel this huge sense of loneliness. It would be really lonely living in a monastery in northern Russia. It would be a really big commitment to make me let go of other possibilities. So, what I imagine is that their lifestyle calls these men to many hours of being before God and pouring out their hearts to him. Telling him of their need of him in their state of day to day living. Singing songs of worship and also of searching/ asking God to be with them. Also, the awareness of the state of the church; the flock. They must sing, I believe. The way they can express it all. I am thinking. I may write more.
