Obikhod

Obikhod is the name for the collection of all liturgical chants of the Russian Orthodox Church. The chants are based on specific melodic phrases or modes, the so-called Octoechos. Since the Middle Age, they have formed the tonal system of the Old Russian liturgical chant, the Obikhod scale or mode being its basis. This mode I have been using several times in my works, as well as in this score.As is well known, Russian church music is by nature vocal. The four voices in “Obikhod” create the typical sound of a Russian church choir with its most important features – a) the ‘psalmodiya’ on one tone and b) the so-called ‘raspev’, i.e. the melodic phrases according to the system of the Octoecho. The string orchestra simulates church acoustics – with its typical echo effects and sounds of imaginary Russian church bells. Bells are the only instrument authorized in Russian Orthodox worship.The work consists of 5 parts and is sung in Old Church Slavonic language. The texts are taken from the Orthodox funeral mass, which is why one could speak of a ‘chamber requiem’. (Alexander Raskatov)