Based at Moscow's Schnittke Institute of Music, the 37-strong, mixed-voice Spiritual Revival Choir of Russia was founded in 1992 by director and arranger Lev Kontorovich. The first 15 songs of 'Sounds' are Russian Orthodox sacred choral music from the late 1800s up until the Russian Revolution, featuring composers such as Peter Il'yich Tchaikovsky, four movements from the 'Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 41,' three versions of 'Gladsome Light' (by Alexander Kastalsky, Viktor Kalinnikov and Anatoly Koselev, 6 songs by Pavel Chesnokov including 'The Cherubic Hymn Op. 27,' Rodion Shchedrin's 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' and Valery Kitka's lovely 'The Stars Are Falling in the Night.' The next 8 songs are sacred music by German composers, including two cuts by Schubert, Hugo Wolf's 'Komm, Trost der Welt,' one each by Niel van der Watt and Olivier Messiaen, Mozart's wonderful 'Laudate Dominum from Vesperae solennes de confessore' and two fine songs by Bach, 'Ave Maria' and 'Invention No. 8.' 'Sounds' is simply magnificent, every cut is stunningly beautiful!

Created in 1992, at the end of the Soviet era, when freedom of religious expression was once again permitted, the Spiritual Revival Choir of Moscow's Schnittke Institute of Music has a repertoire that understandably deals with the spiritual exultation of religious celebration. Besides music of Russian composers, the Choir's repertoire includes music of the Renaissance and Baroque, Viennese classics, and 18th and 19th-century Romantic masterpieces. Favorites are 'The Russian Soil: Chants dedicated to Russian Saints,' Tchaikovsky's 'Prayer of Repentance for Russia' and 'Eucharist from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom,' Alexander Arkhangelsky's 'I cried out to the Lord,' Pavel Chesnokov's 'Blessed is the Man' and 'The Angel Cried,' Nicolai Lebedev's 'Funeral Mass,' Valery Kikta's 'Hymn to the Holy Virgin,' and Alfred Schnittke's (founder of the Institute of Music) 'Three Sacred Chorales.' Tremendous depth, feeling and spirituality comes through the music of the Spiritual Revival Choir, directed by Lev Kontorovich. Beautiful and inspirational!