Jiří Slavík, VUS Ondráš - Path of Light / Cesta světla / České a moravské koledy a zpěvy vánoční (2022) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Nesem vam noviny
02. Byla cesta, byla uslapana
03. Mariin chvalozpev
04. Jak zpivali andele
05. Oci narozeneho Jezise
06. Narodil se Kristus Pan
07. Jak jsi krasne nevinatko
08. Chtic, aby spal
09. Kristus Pan se narodil
10. Dej nam Pan Buh sve pozehnani
11. Koleda je na Vanoce
12. Sedi pantata
13. Dva kapuni
14. Stedrej vecer nastal
15. Slava na vysostech Bohu
16. Dej Buh stesti
17. Vesele vanocni hody

"And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not". John the Evangelist’s words inspired the title of a remarkable Christmas cycle, rendering its profound message, diverting our attention from glittering decorations and refocusing on the very reason for celebrating Christmas – commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. Many a time with a breath-taking directness, traditional carols clearly capture the poetics of the Nativity and the story of those who were there.

Such carols were precisely that which resounded in the mind of Jiří Slavík, a seasoned young jazz musician and composer with a penchant for folklore, in the spring of 2020, when a pandemic locked us down in our homes. "No one had the slightest inkling as to when we would again be able to play and sing together". The songs immediately became a source of hope, hope that light would begin shining soon. The carols acquired their shape, sometimes soft and intimate, at others bolder, symphonically opulent. Interludes and songs inspired by the Biblical story came to life, ultimately engendering a whole cycle.

From the beginning, it was intended to be performed by The Ondráš Military Art Ensemble – an orchestra and choir specialising in folk music, yet willing to cross the genre’s borders. As interpreted by the singers and instrumentalists, the Bohemian and Moravian carols sound absolutely natural, often in unconventional colour arrangements. This type of music – just like any music retelling a powerful story – requires quietening. When we let tranquillity take over our minds, we may touch upon a secret.

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