The 7th album of BLAGOVEST “In Thy Kingdom” was released in honor of the 25th anniversary of the choir. Presentation of the anniversary album took place on February 9, 2017, in the Riga Reformat Church, wherein in summer 2016, the album was recorded. This vinyl and CD album contains a number of selected pieces of music by Russian composers. This album is the first record of classical music which nowadays is released in Latvia as a vinyl album.
Sound engineer – Kārlis Pinnis.
The album was supported by the State Cultural Capital Foundation.
Conductor – Alexander Brandavs.
The sixth album of BLAGOVEST was a cooperation project with Honoured Artist of Russia Yan Osin (bass-baritone). Recording took place in the Concert Hall of the University of Latvia.
Within this cooperation project, a sacred music by D. Hristov, A. Strumsky, B. Dodonov, P. Chesnokov, A. Arkhangelsky and A. Kosolapov was recorded. The album also contains folksongs.
Sound engineer – Ivars Vigners.
Soloist – Yan Osin.
Conductor – Alexander Brandavs.
BLAGOVEST’s 5th album “Sacred Love” was recorded in the sound recording studio “Rīgas skaņu ierakstu studija”.
Chamber choir AUSTRUMS under the leadership of conductor Ārijs Šķepasts took part in recording of this album.
The album contains the pieces of music by D. Sarti, A. Arkhangelsky, G. Sviridov, V. Shebalin, S. Taneev and V. Gavrilin.
Soloists: A. Povarova, E. Kozorovitskaya, Y. Tyutyunnikov, V. Melnikov.
Sound engineer – Karlis Pinnis.
The choir BLAGOVEST would like to thank the Danske Bank for the support rendered when releasing this album.
Conductor – Alexander Brandavs.
In the year of the 20th anniversary of the choir BLAGOVEST, the 4th album was released, namely “SVYSHE PROROTSY”. At the time the anniversary album was released, the BLAGOVEST’s repertoire was already including the sacred choral music by the most famous composers. This album contains the pieces of music by M. Balakirev, S. Rachmaninov, D. Bortniansky, V. Glagolev, A. Lvov, M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, A. Schnittke and P. Chesnokov.
Soloists: E. Kozorovitskaya, Y. Tyutyunnikov, V. Melnikov.
Conductor – Alexander Brandavs.
The third album of BLAGOVEST released in 2004 was entirely devoted to one of the masterpieces in the world sacred music, namely to the “Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom” by Sergey Rachmaninov. The album was recorded in the Pardaugava Holy Trinity Church in Riga.
For the first time, BLAGOVEST performed the S. Rachmaninov’s “Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom” in 1997 in the AVE SOL Concert Hall.
Sound engineer – Ivars Vigners.
The album was supported by the Department of Culture of the Riga City Council.
Conductor – Alexander Brandavs.
Riga Men’s Orthodox Choir NABAT was founded under the mixed choir BLAGOVEST. NABAT was founded in 1997, and already in 1998 became a diploma winner at the XVII International Festival, at the Hajnowka Church Music Days. When founding the choir NABAT, the artistic director A. Brandavs implemented the idea of returning to the beginnings of Orthodox ancient church singing based for a long time only on men’s voiced.
Soloists: V. Melnikov, Y. Tyutyunnikov, S.Martinov.
Adaptation by G. Kadolchik.
The second part of the CD is comprised of sacred music performed by children’s choir ZVONNITSA, which was founded in 1994.
This album was recorded in DK-Studio in Belgium.
Conductor – Alexander Brandavs.
The very first album of BLAGOVEST was released in 1997 in Belgium, and later it was republished. Recording took place in the Pardaugava Holy Trinity Church in Riga.
The album includes sacred music compositions by S. Rachmaninov, A. Lvov, V. Popov, K. Shvedov, P. Chesnokov and M. Berezovsky.
An outstanding soloist of the Latvian National Opera, baritone Samson Izyumov participated in work on this CD together with the choir BLAGOVEST.
Sound engineer – Ivars Vigners.
Special thanks to Geert Morlion (Belgium).
Conductor – Alexander Brandavs.