NEW RELEASE: Roman Hurko's "Liturgy 2000"

by Bohdan Markiw

The "Liturgy 2000" composed by Canadian musician Roman Hurko is his endowment for the 2000th anniversary of Christ's birth. The composer evidently is familiar with the Vatican II Ecumenical Council's proposed to the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, for he wrote a liturgy that corresponds to all the rules of "Misa Cantata."

The settings for a St. Chrysostom Liturgy using the Ukrainian text of 1966 is for mixed chorus, without soloists, and four-part harmony throughout. All voices are scored comfortably, move around neighboring notes, and are easy to sing. The inner voices are treated generously with wide expressive melodies in constant motion and dynamics ranging from pianissimo to forte.

The character of this music is pious and serene, written in church minor modes that establish a link to the ancient Greek tradition. This style of writing has never been used in the Ukrainian Church, thus Mr. Hurko's liturgy is unique.

"Liturgy 2000" was first performed on July 16 in Chicago's Ss. Volodymyr and Olga Ukrainian Catholic Church. Most of the sacerdotal invocations are done by parish-based priests, the Rt. Rev. Ivan Kortec and the Rev. Yaroslav Mendiuk. The responses are by The Schola Cantorum of St. Peter the Apostle with J. Michael Thompson, director. The singing of the professional chorus is seamless.

Though it contains two Psalms of Typica, the Beatitudes and the Creed, the liturgy lasts only 50 minutes.

"Liturgy 2000" is available on compact disc in Ukrainian shops and record stores at $19.95. For more information visit composer's webpage at http://members.xoom.com/rhurko.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, December 24, 2000, No. 52, Vol. LXVIII

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