The Gates of Eden

HOLY MONASTERY OF KOUTLOUMOUS (2004)

An album including some of the masterpieces of medieval and modern Greek poetry, as well as an excerpt from an Aeschylean tragedy. The instrumental compositions are studies on ancient Byzantine hymns by Nikos Kypourgos. The publication is in English.

Music | Medieval Melodists, Manos Hadzithakis, Mikis Theodorakis, John Tavener, Nikos Kypourgos
Poetry | Medieval Hymnographers, Aeschylus, Aggelos Sikelianos, Nikos Gatsos, Yorgos Seferis, Odysseus Elytis, Constantine Cavafy
Translations in English | Holy Monastery of Koutloumous, Konstantinos-Athanasios Trypanis, Liadain Sherrard, Edmund Keeley, Philip Sherrard, Mother Mary, Bishop Kallistos Ware, George Savvidis
Arrangements | Nikos Kypourgos

Reading | Susan FitzGerald, Stephen Brennan, James Heywood
Singing | Maria Farantouri, Alkinoos Ioannidis
Chanting | Brothers of the Holy Monastery of Koutloumous, Choir of St John’s College in Cambridge, Choir of the Orthodox University of St. John in Moscow

01. Epiklesis
(N.Kypourgos)
02. Prometheus Bound – S.FitzGerald / St.Brennan
(Aeschylus)
03. The Lord God – Choir of the Monastery
04. Epistle to the Ephesians – J.Heywood
(Ignatius of Antioch / Engl. transl. Holy Monastery of Koutloumous)
05. Ode
(N.Kypourgos)
06. Hymn on the birth of our Lord – St.Brennan
(Romanos the Melodist / Engl. transl. C.A.Trypanis)
07. Hymn on the birth of our Lord – Choir of the Monastery
08. Jesus in Bethany – S. FitzGerald
(A.Sikelianos / Engl. transl. Liadain Sherrard)
09. Ours all the stars tonight – Maria Farantouri
(M.Hadzidakis – N.Gatsos)
10. We praise you – Choir of the Monastery
11. Agraphon – S.FitzGerald
(A.Sikelianos / Engl. transl. Ed.Keeley & Ph.Sherrard)
12. Alleluia – Choir of the Monastery
13. Troparion – S.FitzGerald
(Cassiani the Nun / Engl. transl. Mother Mary & Bishop K.Ware
14. Intermedio
(N.Kypourgos)
15. Mary at the Cross – S.FitzGerald / St.Brennan / A monk’s voice
16. Virgin Mother of God – Choir of the Russian Orthodox University
(Conductor: Eugenia Persteniova)
17. Antiphon – St.Brennan
(Engl. transl. Mother Mary & Bishop K.Ware)
18. Antiphon – Choir of the Monastery
19. The Praises – St.Brennan / S.FitzGerald
(Engl. transl. Mother Mary & Bishop K.Ware)
20. O my Sweet Springtime – Maria Farantouri and Symphonic Orchestra of Sofia
21. The Container of the Uncontainable – St.Brennan
(G.Seferis / Engl. transl. Ed.Keeley & Ph.Sherrard)
22. Shine, the New Jerusalem – Choir of the Monastery
23. A solitary swallow – Stephen Brennan
(Od.Elytis / Engl. transl. Ed.Keeley & G.Savvidis)
24. A solitary swallow – Alkinoos Ioannidis
(M.Theodorakis – Od.Elytis)
25. The tomb of Ignatius – St. Brennan
(C.Cavafy / Engl. transl. Ed.Keeley & Ph.Sherrard)
26. As one who has slept – Choir of St. Johns College, Cambridge
(J.Tavener)
27. Hymn on the divine love – J. Heywood
(St Symeon / Engl. transl. Ed.Keeley)
28. The day of Resurrection – Choir of the Monastery
29. Gloria
(N.Kypourgos)