THE NEW CD OF BOYA

Praise the Lord, o children
An anthology of Church Hymns from Balkans

It is true that during the Holy Services, we taste in advance the future gifts, by participating in the prayer of the Church, chanting with the Holy Angels, the Holy Fathers and our brothers, sharing communion of the mysteries of Christ, same body, the same blood and a unique spirit not only with Him, our Saviour, but also with the members of the Church from the beginning until today and the end of ages. In this way we are transformed "…reflect then the glory of the Lord with uncovered faces; and that same glory, coming from the Lord, who is the spirit, transforms us into his likeness in an ever greater degree of glory" (Cor. II, 3,18)" on the same time viewing at our common fatherland, the celestal Jerusalem, and praising to participate more intensely in the blessed Pascha, our infinite communion with Him in His Heavenly Kingdom.

(Extract of the message of His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch addressed to our Association on July 19, 2002, on the occasion of the "Liturgical School" in Cetinje, Montenegro)

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Church hymnology, from the beginning until nowdays, is the most precious assistant of humans in their struggle through all their lives to approach the Mysteries of God.
As a mean of a praising and gloryfying relation of Angels and humans with God, it is immediately related with Theology and is the best way to express the inner feelings and the authentic relationship with Him.

The hymn is composed of three parts: the word, the melody and the rhythm, which are closely related between them. The word, always theological, is prevailing and is served, explained and enforced by the mucic and the rhythm.

The hymn is usually chanted monophonically by the choir, in a way as if the voice "came from one mouth" (St. John Chrysostom, 36, PG 61, 35). As far as the "ison" is concerned, it expresses the unity and the common feeling of the believers.

The hymn is exclusively liturgical, and gives an authentic testimony of faith and hope.
The majority of the holy hymnographers belongs to the Saints; having an intense and living relationship with God, they have dedicated their talent, a gift of the Holy Spirit, to the service of the Church for the glory of God.

Saveguard, promotion of and dedication to this wonderful spiritual legacy is an essential need for all those who wish to be saved, giving godly experiences and opening the gate of the Kingdom of our Father.

The Balkan Orthodox Youth Association, on the occasion of its 10 years of diaconia within the sensible sector of the Balkan Youth, presents this Compact Disk, both as in order to thank and glorify God for everything that was accomplished during these years and to give a small assistance to all of us in our way towards the Land of the Living.

In this point, we would like to thank from the deapth of our heart everyone who has participated or helped to the accomplishment of the present edition:

1. The Byzantine Choir of the young people of the Church of Albania for chanting the hymns in Albanian and Miss Marina-Blerina Marini, vice president of our Association, for making the selection.
2. The Bulgarian Church Choir "Paroria", the director Fr Georgy Spassov and Mr Emilyan Pogonchev, regional secretary of our Association, for the selection of the hymns.
3. The Byzantine Choir of young people of the Holy Diocese of Attiki-Grrece, and the chorarch Fr Anastasios Traiforos for selecting and teaching the hymns.
4. The Parish Choir of Stavropol-Bucharest and the protopsalt of the Patriarchal Cathedral of Bucharest Mr Michael Buca. The selection was performed by Mr Adrian-Sorin Zahiu, vice president of our Association.
5. The brotherhood of the Holy Monastery of the Archangels in Kovilj, Serbia-Montenegro, and Monk Kosma for selecting the hymns.
EnglisH translation by Mr. Ioannis Zervos, General Secretary of BOYA.
Mr Paraskevas Hadzithanassis has assumed the technical assistance.

Concluding this note, we express for once more our respect and gratitude to His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos and their Holinesses and Beatitudes, Patriarchs and Archbishops, heads of the local Churches in the Balkans, as well as their Eminences, heads of Dioceses, for their interest and fatherly love for our Association since its beginnings. May our Lord bless our humble activities, for His glory and the glory of His Church.

Fr Haralampos Theodossis
Member of the board of the
Balkan Orthodox Youth Association

Index:

I Albania
1. It is truly meet to bless the Theotokos. Mode V plagal 2'53''
2. All you have been baptised into Christ, have put on Crhist. Alleluia
Mode I 4'35''
3. Ye servants, praise the Lord...Alleluia (Polyeleos-Psalm 134)
Mode V plagal 5'40''
4. Thy Cross, our Master, we adore, and thy holy Resurrection we glorify.
Mode II 1'29''
5. Come together, all ye people…. Mode III 1'02''

II Bulgaria
6. It is truly meet to bless the Theotokos. Octaechon 2'12''
7. 'y soul, o my soul, arise. how long wouldest thou sleep' Mode II 2'09''
8. We have taken refuge under the wing of my compassion, o Theotokos. 1'58'
9. Archangel’s voice. 1'34''
10. Thy Nativity, o Christ our Lord, hath given rise to the light of knowledge in the word. Mode V plagal 2'02''
11. Christ is risen from the dead; by death hath the trodden death, and upon those in tombs, hath he bestowed life.
Greco-Romano-Slavonic – obihodnoe 1'40''
12. Our father, who art in heaven… Mode V plagal 1'55''

III Hellas
13. Ye servants, praise the Lord...Alleluia (Polyeleos- Psalm 134)
Mode V plagal 4'47''
14. Let everything that hath breat... Mode I 3'28''
15. Second Psalm (145) of Typica Mode IV 3'28''
16. The Beatitudes Mode I 2'16''
17. Calophonic Heirmos by Balassios priest. Mode I 3'51''

IV Romania
18. Lord I have cried... Let my prayer be set forth... Mode V plagal 3'20''
19. Set, o Lord.... Mode V plagal 3'54''
20. Glory to the Father, and to the son, and to the Holy Spirit…
Mode VI plagal 3'20''
21. O Glad Light... Mode V plagal 3'54''
22. St Nicola’ s Troparion: Michael Buca, protopsalt of the Bucharest Patriachal Cathedral Mode VIII plagal 1'58''

V Serbia and Montenegro
23. Lord I have cried Mode I 1'48''
24. Let my prayer be set forth. Mode I 1'05''
25. Guide to the path, which leadeth unto life Mode III 2'02''
26. Glory…Both now… Mode II 2'02''
27. I shall open my mouth to chant.... Mode V plagal 9'49''