Russia's Most Beautiful Songs

First, the chorus is not anonymous but the talented Optina Pustyn Male Choir of St. Petersburg, here a group of eight that sound twice their number. The choir was established in 1996 to preserve Russian church music, but this CD is of traditional folk songs, although several selections do have known composers. They were arranged mainly by the baritone of the group, Alexander Semyonov. Second, these songs really are beautiful. You will not dance to these pieces, as they are nostalgic, sad, and romantic, and the mood and tempo are fairly consistant. There is the pathos of the lonely steppe, of patriotism, of religious desire. The enclosed booklet includes the lyrics in English and in Russian.