Tchaikovsky | Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom op. 41 (1878)
 
Tchaikovsky’s Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is a masterpiece of orthodox christian choral music. The Hymn of the Cherubim, the core of the 14 parts of the liturgy and of the opera thereof, is as far away from Tchaikovsy’s typical showy footprint as you can imagine. It is a composition where the author seeks an intimate link between music and religion - in a time of his life of reunification with christianity - leaving behind the flashy orchestral grandeur of his violin and piano concertos in favor of a profound investigation of the musical expressive capabilities of a cappella choral execution.