Editorial Review:

Amazon.com:
The composer calls this work "a liturgical drama," but there is nothing dramatic about it; it is more aptly described by the title of its three main sections, "Stasis." Set to texts from the Greek and Russian Orthodox Easter service sung in English interspersed with ancient Greek words, it is scored for male voices and an odd combination of strings, winds, and extra-large percussion instruments including a Byzantine monastery bell, a Tibetan temple bowl, a tam-tam, and a simantron (a wooden board struck with a hammer). The music, in Tavener's characteristic medieval, monastic, Byzantine style, is devout, contemplative, very slow, with endlessly sustained notes and chords, and based on structurally determined repetition. Anchored by bass or descant drones, the chorus moves in parallel chordal progressions, alternating with ornate, melismatic solos, and punctuated by regularly repeated crashes from the bell and bowl. Variety is created through changes of key, vocal and instrumental texture, and motivic material. Several sections culminate in climactic buildups of volume and intensity. Some of the music is very beautiful, but its repetitiousness and basically unchanging character make a sense of monotony unavoidable. Perhaps only listeners who share Tavener's own deep spirituality can fully enter into his musical world. The performance by Chanticleer is wonderful. The voices float with a transparent, pure, otherworldly sound--it seems unbelievable that the altos and sopranos, who go up to high F's and G's, are really male singers--and the instruments match them perfectly in tone and style. --Edith Eisler

Rating: - Please don't encourage him.
pretentious, pri-ten'shus, a. Full of pretension; pretending to or falsely claiming talents, skills, or qualities. This guy's got it all, mysterious sounding names for his compositions AND mysteriouser sounding chants and resonances, but most mysterioustist is how anyone can even stand to listen to this claptrap. Maybe that's why this jerk has gotten so much press, people don't understand his mystical Eleusinian sensibility and are curious as to what he knows that the rest of us don't. Well, ... Read More

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Rating: - No documentation? No surprise!
Just to respond to the comments about the lack of liner notes: When this work was recorded, the music was still wet on the page. Indeed, Tavener had approved several changes very late in the game, as you might expect. When you do a world-premiere recording of a brand new piece, you can't exactly round up the nearest musicologist and ask for a detailed essay about the music (as you might for, say, Josquin)!

Anyway, I found the piece quite moving, and the performance here is flawless.

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Rating: - Not for the easily depressed
A powerful piece of music, with the characteristically beautiful performance that Chanticleer is famous for. The subject is not a happy one, and the music conveys the sense of dread and anguish that was probably Tavener's intent. This music is emotionally evocative, but will surely darken and make more somber whatever mood you start listening with, so let the listener take heed! I appreciate the brilliance of the performance, but I can't really say I *like* the music. Recorded in techologically ... Read More

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Rating: - Tavener and Chanticleer: a heavenly combination...
John Tavener's Lamentations and Praises is almost indescribably perfect in its premiere recording by Chanticleer. As Chanticleer was the co-commissioner of this work, they have a great understanding of the music and the words. Their voices are grouped SATB (soprano, alto, tenor and bass/baritone, as is common in many liturgical choral pieces. The soprano voices of Matthew Alber, Christopher Fritzsche, and Ian Howell are simply amazing in their range and clarity. Not to take away from the other soloists ... Read More

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Rating: - Nourishes the Soul
I would characterize this as divinely inspired music, designed to nurish the soul, regardless of the religious/spiritual orientation of the listener.