CDs recorded by St James Orthodox Church
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Orthodox Pre-Communion Prayers
A collection of ancient prayers chanted often after an evening Orthodox Vespers service in preparation for Divine Liturgy. Sung with penitence and humility with influences from Russian, Greek, and Antiochian Orthodox Church musical styles. Except where annotated, all music is composed and chanted by Romanos. Cover iconography by Kouria Janet Peters.
1. A Prayer of St Basil the Great
2. A Prayer of St John Chrysostom
3. A Prayer of St Symeon Metaphrastes
4. A Prayer of St John Damascene
5. Another Prayer of St Basil the Great
6. A Prayer of St Symeon the New Theologian
7. Another Prayer of St John Chrysostom
8. A Third Prayer of St John Chrysostom
9. A Fourth Prayer of St John Chrysostom
10. Another Prayer of St John Damascene
1. A Prayer of St Basil the Great
2. A Prayer of St John Chrysostom
3. A Prayer of St Symeon Metaphrastes
4. A Prayer of St John Damascene
5. Another Prayer of St Basil the Great
6. A Prayer of St Symeon the New Theologian
7. Another Prayer of St John Chrysostom
8. A Third Prayer of St John Chrysostom
9. A Fourth Prayer of St John Chrysostom
10. Another Prayer of St John Damascene
Orthodox Evening Prayers
A short 15-minute compilation of Orthodox Evening Prayers to quiet the world around us and still the inner soul. Well suited for a drive home from work or while falling to sleep at night, reciting the prayers with the chanter. All music composed and chanted by Romanos in his own unique mystical and gentle American Orthodox style. Developed over 25 years as a chanter in the Orthodox Church, being influenced by the Antiochian, Russian, and Greek Orthodox Churches, by his parents, as well as through his classical music education.
1.Trisagion Prayers
2.Troparia of Thanksgiving
3.Prayer of Forgiveness
4.Creed
5.Prayer of the Hours
6.Closing Prayers
1.Trisagion Prayers
2.Troparia of Thanksgiving
3.Prayer of Forgiveness
4.Creed
5.Prayer of the Hours
6.Closing Prayers
Wound My Soul
A compilation of prayers from nine various Orthodox services. The Orthodox church, in addition to having services for special events (weddings, baptisms, funerals, etc) also has daily services, although their daily application is more prevalent in Orthodox monasteries. These services further the life and daily habit of ceaseless prayer. Vespers is sung usually in the late afternoon or early evening, Compline is sung around bedtime, Nocturn, also referred to as the Midnight Office is sung at midnight. Matins (also called Orthros) is sung typically very early in the morning, often before the sun rises. The Hours (First, Third, Sixth, and Ninth) are sung at seven a.m., nine a.m., noon, and three p.m. respectively. Cover: Icon of Archangel Michael by Kouria Janet Peters.
CD title "Wound My Soul" is taken from the prayer of St Basil the Great from the end of the Sixth Hour service: "Wound our souls with Thy love..."
Special thanks to:
- ♪ Margo Sinkevitch (soprano and alto)
- * Mary Karbo (soprano and alto)
- † David Sinkevitch (bass)
for singing on this CD, each track annotates who sings on each song.
All music is recorded, composed and original to Romanos of St James Orthodox Church, Williamston, Michigan, with the following exceptions: Psalm 6 based on Russian Kievan tone six, St Mary of Egypt based on Russian Obikhod tone eight, Paraclesis Canon makes use of traditional Canon melodies for the irmoi and refrains.
Texts and translations are credited with each song individually where applicable. But additional thanks to: St Tikhon’s Seminary Press (‡) in Waymart, Pennsylvania; St Vladimir’s Seminary Press in Yonkers, New York; St John of Kronstadt Press in Liberty, Tennessee; Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York; Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Brookline, Massachusetts; and the Stavropegic Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, Tolleshunt Knights by Maldon, Essex, United Kingdom.
1. Nocturn – First Prayer of St Basil‡
2. Matins -- Publican and the Pharisee ♪ ‡
3. Vespers -- Psalm 103
The text of Psalm 103 is taken from: David James, A Psalter for Prayer (Jordanville, New York: Holy
Trinity Monastery, 2011), pp. 202-205. www.holytrinitypublications.com
4. Matins -- Prodigal Son* † ‡
5. Vespers -- Psalm 6 (From First Kathisma)
6. Baptism -- Robe of Light* † ♪
7. Compline – Prayer to a Guardian Angel ‡
8. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy -- I Will Bless the Lord*
9. Matins – St Mary of Egypt ♪ ‡
10. Vespers -- Gladsome Light
11. Sixth Hour – Prayer to the Theotokos ‡
12. Matins – St Gregory Palamas ♪ ‡
13. Divine Liturgy – Theotokion*
14. Adam’s Lament
Lyrics from the book “St Silouan the Athonite” © 1991 Archimandrite Sophrony [ISBN 0 951 2786 8 1]
Used with permission from Stavropegic Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, Tolleshunt Knights by
Maldon, Essex, United Kingdom as well as from St Vladimir’s Seminary Press
15. Divine Liturgy -- The Lord’s Prayer ♪
16. Vespers -- Song of St Simeon* † ♪
17. Paraclesis Canon
Thanks to the St. John of Kronstadt Press and Reader Isaac E. Lambertsen for the English translation of texts for the
Paraclesis Canon (© 1992), harmonized and recorded here and used by permission. Further duplication
by any means is prohibited without prior permission (email:info@sjkp.org; web:http://www.sjkp.org/).
CD title "Wound My Soul" is taken from the prayer of St Basil the Great from the end of the Sixth Hour service: "Wound our souls with Thy love..."
Special thanks to:
- ♪ Margo Sinkevitch (soprano and alto)
- * Mary Karbo (soprano and alto)
- † David Sinkevitch (bass)
for singing on this CD, each track annotates who sings on each song.
All music is recorded, composed and original to Romanos of St James Orthodox Church, Williamston, Michigan, with the following exceptions: Psalm 6 based on Russian Kievan tone six, St Mary of Egypt based on Russian Obikhod tone eight, Paraclesis Canon makes use of traditional Canon melodies for the irmoi and refrains.
Texts and translations are credited with each song individually where applicable. But additional thanks to: St Tikhon’s Seminary Press (‡) in Waymart, Pennsylvania; St Vladimir’s Seminary Press in Yonkers, New York; St John of Kronstadt Press in Liberty, Tennessee; Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York; Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Brookline, Massachusetts; and the Stavropegic Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, Tolleshunt Knights by Maldon, Essex, United Kingdom.
1. Nocturn – First Prayer of St Basil‡
2. Matins -- Publican and the Pharisee ♪ ‡
3. Vespers -- Psalm 103
The text of Psalm 103 is taken from: David James, A Psalter for Prayer (Jordanville, New York: Holy
Trinity Monastery, 2011), pp. 202-205. www.holytrinitypublications.com
4. Matins -- Prodigal Son* † ‡
5. Vespers -- Psalm 6 (From First Kathisma)
6. Baptism -- Robe of Light* † ♪
7. Compline – Prayer to a Guardian Angel ‡
8. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy -- I Will Bless the Lord*
9. Matins – St Mary of Egypt ♪ ‡
10. Vespers -- Gladsome Light
11. Sixth Hour – Prayer to the Theotokos ‡
12. Matins – St Gregory Palamas ♪ ‡
13. Divine Liturgy – Theotokion*
14. Adam’s Lament
Lyrics from the book “St Silouan the Athonite” © 1991 Archimandrite Sophrony [ISBN 0 951 2786 8 1]
Used with permission from Stavropegic Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, Tolleshunt Knights by
Maldon, Essex, United Kingdom as well as from St Vladimir’s Seminary Press
15. Divine Liturgy -- The Lord’s Prayer ♪
16. Vespers -- Song of St Simeon* † ♪
17. Paraclesis Canon
Thanks to the St. John of Kronstadt Press and Reader Isaac E. Lambertsen for the English translation of texts for the
Paraclesis Canon (© 1992), harmonized and recorded here and used by permission. Further duplication
by any means is prohibited without prior permission (email:info@sjkp.org; web:http://www.sjkp.org/).
Psalter
The Psalter -- the entire collection of Psalms sung in a style unique to the chanter Romanos of St James Orthodox Church. Pulling from Russian, Greek, Arabic, Bulgarian, Irish and English plain chant musical influences, the Psalter is a audibly-aromatic mixture of various musical traditions, transformed into what has been described by some as having a uniquely American feel with ever-flowing penitence and contemplation. Each Kathisma limits itself to a single melody which then repeats and evolves and elaborates yet remains that original sole melodic idea, like an Orthodox "Tone."
The Orthodox services are completely sung or chanted with no instruments other than the human voice; nearly nothing is ever spoken. There is not a single service in the Orthodox church that does not employ the Psalms. Psalms were sung by the earliest Christians to include Jesus and His apostles.
The Psalter has been divided into 20 Kathismas of more or less equal length. This then aids their incorporation into various Orthodox services to be chanted or sung entirely throughout each week. It is also the practice in the Orthodox Church to chant the Psalms in the presence of a reposed Orthodox Christian from the time of their repose until their internment. All Psalms here are listed according to the Greek numbering of the Psalms. These Psalms are from the King James translation of 1611.
The Orthodox services are completely sung or chanted with no instruments other than the human voice; nearly nothing is ever spoken. There is not a single service in the Orthodox church that does not employ the Psalms. Psalms were sung by the earliest Christians to include Jesus and His apostles.
The Psalter has been divided into 20 Kathismas of more or less equal length. This then aids their incorporation into various Orthodox services to be chanted or sung entirely throughout each week. It is also the practice in the Orthodox Church to chant the Psalms in the presence of a reposed Orthodox Christian from the time of their repose until their internment. All Psalms here are listed according to the Greek numbering of the Psalms. These Psalms are from the King James translation of 1611.
Common Ground
A collection of Protestant hymns recorded by Romanos for a dear friend and patron of the St Sabbas Russian Orthodox Monastery (www.stsabbas.org) in Harper Woods, Michigan. If you have not visited St Sabbas Monastery, you must. The Abbot has created a place of beauty to remind us of Paradise and to urge us to ever live trying to noetically return. The monastery is funded by a European cuisine fine-dining restaurant called The Royal Eagle (www.theroyaleagle.org) with a world-renown chef from the Czech Republic; he was professionally trained in Europe for five years. The restaurant has been featured in several major newspapers to include the Detroit Free Press and the Washington Post, and also several local news channels have filmed segments from the monastery and restaurant. The monastery's motto comes from a Dostoevksy novel ("The Idiot"): Beauty will save the world. You must visit them. Vocals, piano and violin on this CD all performed and recorded by Monk Romanos. CD Cover: The Royal Eagle Restaurant at St Sabbas Monastery.
1. Abide with me
2. Be still my soul
3. When I survey the wondrous cross
4. The church's one foundation
5. O sacred head now wounded
6. Just as I am
7. Come Thou Fount
8. Drop, drop slow tears
9. I heard the voice of Jesus say
10. Were you there?
11. My Jesus, I love Thee
1. Abide with me
2. Be still my soul
3. When I survey the wondrous cross
4. The church's one foundation
5. O sacred head now wounded
6. Just as I am
7. Come Thou Fount
8. Drop, drop slow tears
9. I heard the voice of Jesus say
10. Were you there?
11. My Jesus, I love Thee
Morning Prayers
Orthodox Morning Prayers according to the Jordanville Prayer Book. Except where annotated, all music original to and sung/chanted by Romanos.
- Usual Beginning (0:00): Music original to St Romanos Monastery except “O Heavenly King” which is Russian Obikhod Stichera Tone 6.
- Troparia to the Holy Trinity (5:14): Russian Kievan Stichera Tone 7
- Prayer of St Basil the Great to the Most Holy Trinity (6:50): Russian Kievan Stichera Tone 2
- Psalm 50 (8:40): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- The Symbol of the Orthodox Faith (Nicene Creed) (11:42): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer I of St Macarius the Great (13:45): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer II of St Macarius the Great (14:54): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer III of St Macarius the Great (15:52): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer IV of St Macarius the Great (17:17): Music – Byzantine Special Melody
- Prayer V of St Basil the Great (19:35): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer VI of St Basil the Great (22:12): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer VII to the Most Holy Theotokos (0:00): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer VIII to our Lord Jesus Christ (7:30): Music – Variation of Antiochian Byzantine Tone 6
- Prayer IX to the Holy Guardian Angel (10:52): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer X to the Most Holy Theotokos (12:29): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer for the Salvation of America (15:36): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
Note: Change from “Russian” to “American” lyric permitted by Holy Trinity Publications
- Prayerful Invocation of the Saint Whose Name we bear (16:10): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Song to the Most Holy Theotokos (16:42): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
Note: Previous three songs uses two melodies:
-- Prayer for America uses Melody #1
-- Prayerful to Patron Saint uses Melody #2;
-- Song to the Theotokos uses Melodies #1 & #2 simultaneously
- Troparion to the Cross (17:28): Music -- Antiochian Byzantine Tone 1
- Usual Ending (17:53): Music – Variation to the Russian Obikhod Troparion Tone 8
Special thanks to Holy Trinity Publications whose Jordanville Prayer Book was used for most of the texts for this recording and used with their permission: Prayer Book, Fourth Edition - Revised (Jordanville, New York: Holy Trinity Publications, 2003) ISBN 978-0-88465-175-8; www.holytrinitypublications.com
Translation of "Prayer V of St Basil the Great" from Horologion (© 2000, Mother Mary and Archimandrite Kallistos Ware) by St Tikhon’s Seminary Press as annotated and used with their permission.
Text for "Troparion to the Cross" comes from standard Antiochian Byzantine Tone 1 version of this Troparion.
- Usual Beginning (0:00): Music original to St Romanos Monastery except “O Heavenly King” which is Russian Obikhod Stichera Tone 6.
- Troparia to the Holy Trinity (5:14): Russian Kievan Stichera Tone 7
- Prayer of St Basil the Great to the Most Holy Trinity (6:50): Russian Kievan Stichera Tone 2
- Psalm 50 (8:40): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- The Symbol of the Orthodox Faith (Nicene Creed) (11:42): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer I of St Macarius the Great (13:45): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer II of St Macarius the Great (14:54): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer III of St Macarius the Great (15:52): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer IV of St Macarius the Great (17:17): Music – Byzantine Special Melody
- Prayer V of St Basil the Great (19:35): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer VI of St Basil the Great (22:12): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer VII to the Most Holy Theotokos (0:00): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer VIII to our Lord Jesus Christ (7:30): Music – Variation of Antiochian Byzantine Tone 6
- Prayer IX to the Holy Guardian Angel (10:52): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer X to the Most Holy Theotokos (12:29): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Prayer for the Salvation of America (15:36): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
Note: Change from “Russian” to “American” lyric permitted by Holy Trinity Publications
- Prayerful Invocation of the Saint Whose Name we bear (16:10): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
- Song to the Most Holy Theotokos (16:42): Music original to St Romanos Monastery
Note: Previous three songs uses two melodies:
-- Prayer for America uses Melody #1
-- Prayerful to Patron Saint uses Melody #2;
-- Song to the Theotokos uses Melodies #1 & #2 simultaneously
- Troparion to the Cross (17:28): Music -- Antiochian Byzantine Tone 1
- Usual Ending (17:53): Music – Variation to the Russian Obikhod Troparion Tone 8
Special thanks to Holy Trinity Publications whose Jordanville Prayer Book was used for most of the texts for this recording and used with their permission: Prayer Book, Fourth Edition - Revised (Jordanville, New York: Holy Trinity Publications, 2003) ISBN 978-0-88465-175-8; www.holytrinitypublications.com
Translation of "Prayer V of St Basil the Great" from Horologion (© 2000, Mother Mary and Archimandrite Kallistos Ware) by St Tikhon’s Seminary Press as annotated and used with their permission.
Text for "Troparion to the Cross" comes from standard Antiochian Byzantine Tone 1 version of this Troparion.
Post-Communion Prayers
1. Prayer of Thanksgiving and a Prayer of St Basil the Great
2. Verses of Metaphrastes
3. Another Prayer
4. Another Prayer, to the Most Holy Theotokos
5. Song of St Simeon
6. Holy God
7. Troparion and Kontakion of St John Chrysostom
8. O Protectress of Christians and Dismissal
All music sung/chanted by Romanos. All music original to Romanos except the Troparion and Kontakion which are in Russian Tones 8 and 6 respectively, and "O Protectress of Christians" which is taken from Bulgarian Chant.
“Post Communion Prayers” as taken from The Unabbreviated Horologion or Book of the Hours (Jordanville, New York: Holy Trinity Monastery, 1997) www.holytrinitypublications.com and used with their permission.
2. Verses of Metaphrastes
3. Another Prayer
4. Another Prayer, to the Most Holy Theotokos
5. Song of St Simeon
6. Holy God
7. Troparion and Kontakion of St John Chrysostom
8. O Protectress of Christians and Dismissal
All music sung/chanted by Romanos. All music original to Romanos except the Troparion and Kontakion which are in Russian Tones 8 and 6 respectively, and "O Protectress of Christians" which is taken from Bulgarian Chant.
“Post Communion Prayers” as taken from The Unabbreviated Horologion or Book of the Hours (Jordanville, New York: Holy Trinity Monastery, 1997) www.holytrinitypublications.com and used with their permission.