The Russian Court Chapel Choir, 1796-1917
Throughout the nineteenth century the Russian Court Chapel Choir - the Court Kapella - with its rich, sonorous voices, virtuosic technique and strict discipline, enjoyed an enviable reputation. Its singers performed not only in liturgical services and official state ceremonies in the imperial churches, but also played an active role in the musical life of St. Petersburg outwith the court. The music school within the Kapella provided the singers with an excellent choral training as well as tuition in instrumental performance, harmony, orchestration and composition; indeed, until the second half of the nineteenth century it was the only Institution to offer this level of musical education. The Court Kapella also played a vital role in the publication of music for the Orthodox Church at this time: from 1816 the director of the Kapella had the power to authorize or prohibit every edition, performance and publication of sacred music in Russia and, as a result, could significantly influence the development of sacred music. This study deals with the period from 1796, the year in which Dmitry Bortnyansky was appointed director of the Kapella, until 1917 when the institution underwent such radical reorganization as
Ritchie, Carolyn Cairns
Music
The Russian Court Chapel Choir, 1796-1917. Throughout the nineteenth century the Russian Court Chapel Choir - the Court Kapella - with its rich, sonorous voices, virtuosic technique and strict discipline, enjoyed an enviable reputation. Its singers performed not only in liturgical services and official state ceremonies in the imperial churches, but also played an active role in the musical life of St. Petersburg outwith the court. The music school within the Kapella provided the singers with an excellent choral training as well as tuition in instrumental performance, harmony, orchestration and composition; indeed, until the second half of the nineteenth century it was the only Institution to offer this level of musical education. The Court Kapella also played a vital role in the publication of music for the Orthodox Church at this time: from 1816 the director of the Kapella had the power to authorize or prohibit every edition, performance and publication of sacred music in Russia and, as a result, could significantly influence the development of sacred music. This study deals with the period from 1796, the year in which Dmitry Bortnyansky was appointed director of the Kapella, until 1917 when the institution underwent such radical reorganization as
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