Moscow Synodal Choir
Encyclopedia
The Moscow Synodal Choir (Московский Синодальный хор), founded 1721, was the choir attached to the Moscow Synodal School
prior to its dissolution and merger into the choral faculty of the Moscow Conservatory
in 1919. The choir was revived in 1999.
. Following the establishment of the Holy Synod in 1710, the choir officially became known as the Moscow Synodal Choir. Soon after this boy sopranos and contraltos joined the choir to perform the new polyphonic music.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Synodal Choir was a rival in terms of skill and performance to the Tsar’s own chorus of clerical singers, the Russian Imperial Chapel Choir, which moved from Moscow to the new capital in St Petersburg in 1712.
Alexander Kastalsky (Александр Дмитриевич Кастальский, 1856–1926) was the last director of the school and choir. In 1887 Kastal'sky began teaching piano at the Synodal School, in 1891 he became assistant precentor of the Synodal choir then in 1910 director. In 1910 the Moscow Synodal Choir celebrated its bicentennial under the conductor Nikolai Danilin (Николай Михайлович Данилин, 1878–1945) conducting the first performance of Rachmaninov's Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom Op.31.
In 1919 the Moscow Synodal School
was dissolved and merged into the Moscow Conservatory
, the Choir ceased to perform sacred music and the boy sopranos were released, though Kastalsky continued to perform folk music with the choir till 1923.
The Moscow Synodal Choir was revived with the blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all the Russias, under the conductor Aleksei Puzakov (Алексей Пузаков), People's Artist of Russia
, in 2009.
The choir is to be distinguished from the Russian Patriarchate Choir under Anatoly Grindenko (Анатолий Гринденко).
Moscow Synodal School
The Moscow Synodal School and the associated Moscow Synodal Choir were the main centre of teaching for Russian Orthodox Church music in Russia prior to dissolution and merger with the choral faculty of Moscow Conservatory in 1919.The school originally was directly linked with the Moscow...
prior to its dissolution and merger into the choral faculty of the Moscow Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
in 1919. The choir was revived in 1999.
History
The basis of the Synodal Choir was the Russian Patriarchal choir formed in the 16th Century of adult clerics. Following the abolition of the Patriarchate in 1700, the choir became known as the "Cathedral Choir" (соборный хор) attached to the Assumption Cathedral of the KremlinKremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
. Following the establishment of the Holy Synod in 1710, the choir officially became known as the Moscow Synodal Choir. Soon after this boy sopranos and contraltos joined the choir to perform the new polyphonic music.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Synodal Choir was a rival in terms of skill and performance to the Tsar’s own chorus of clerical singers, the Russian Imperial Chapel Choir, which moved from Moscow to the new capital in St Petersburg in 1712.
Alexander Kastalsky (Александр Дмитриевич Кастальский, 1856–1926) was the last director of the school and choir. In 1887 Kastal'sky began teaching piano at the Synodal School, in 1891 he became assistant precentor of the Synodal choir then in 1910 director. In 1910 the Moscow Synodal Choir celebrated its bicentennial under the conductor Nikolai Danilin (Николай Михайлович Данилин, 1878–1945) conducting the first performance of Rachmaninov's Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom Op.31.
In 1919 the Moscow Synodal School
Moscow Synodal School
The Moscow Synodal School and the associated Moscow Synodal Choir were the main centre of teaching for Russian Orthodox Church music in Russia prior to dissolution and merger with the choral faculty of Moscow Conservatory in 1919.The school originally was directly linked with the Moscow...
was dissolved and merged into the Moscow Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
, the Choir ceased to perform sacred music and the boy sopranos were released, though Kastalsky continued to perform folk music with the choir till 1923.
The Moscow Synodal Choir was revived with the blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all the Russias, under the conductor Aleksei Puzakov (Алексей Пузаков), People's Artist of Russia
People's Artist of Russia
People's Artist of Russia, also sometimes translated as National Artist of Russia, is an honorary title granted to citizens of Russia.It succeeded both the all-Soviet union award People's Artist of the USSR , and more directly the local republic award, People's Artist of the RSFSR , after the...
, in 2009.
The choir is to be distinguished from the Russian Patriarchate Choir under Anatoly Grindenko (Анатолий Гринденко).