Orthodox Sacred Music Reference Library

Kompaneisky, Nikolai

Kompaneisky

KOMPANEISKY, Nikolai Ivanovich (b. 1848, Priyutino, nr. Taganrog; d. 17 [30] March 1910, St. Petersburg) — studied at the Nikolayevsk Cavalry School; took lessons in cello and music theory, studied vocal technique with the outstanding opera singer Osip Petrov. Was friends with the leading composers of the nascent Russian nationalist school, Alexander Dargomyzhsky, Modest Musorgsky, Alexander Serov and others, under whose influence he wrote two operas on national themes: Taras Bulba and May Night (which he subsequently burned); his other secular works — a symphony, romances — have not survived either. With the rise in the 1890s of the «New Direction» in Russian Orthodox sacred music, K. began to compose arrangements of church chants and write extensively as a musical critic and publicist (in such magazines as Russkaia muzykal'naia gazeta, Muzyka i penie, et al.) on topics related to church singing. Together with Archpriest Mikhail Lisitsyn, Semyon Panchenko, and Nikolai Cherepnin, K. comprised the St. Petersburg contingent of the New Direction.

Kompaneisky was an advocate of an unadulterated “Old Russian” style in church composition. The guiding principle of his chant arrangements was not so much the “harmonization” of church melodies, in which the top voice is underpinned with subordinate parts that lack independent interest, but rather the contrapuntal combination of characteristic melodic elements — “chantlets” (povevki) that comprise a given church chant. His works possess a churchly quality, are expressive, and display a close correlation between music and text; and while at times they may lack technical polish, this was a fact that the composer himself unapologetically admitted. Among the techniques one frequently encounters in his arrangements are elements (such as voice leading and unison cadences) consciously borrowed from Russian folk song. In his works K. attempted to introduce what he referred to as a purely Russian, vocal-choral “symphony,” based on counter-voice heterophony, applied to church music. He successfully fought for the uncensored publication of sacred choral works against the claims of the supervisory council of the Moscow Synodal Choir School; after initial difficulties in obtaining permission to publish his works, most of them (over 50) were published by P. Jurgenson. His major sacred works include the Theotokia Dogmatika in znamenny chant (1900–1903) and the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, based on Bulgarian chants (1906).

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Km045 053

Dogmatiki bogorodichny

Theotokia Dogmatika

S.Op. 27

Znamenny Chant

S(div)A(div)T(div)B(div)

PJu #32421 1906

First printed edition

49

Km045-053

9 Click [+] to expand

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Km045

1

Tone 1 - Vsemirnuiu slavu

Let us praise the virgin, Mary

S.Op. 27, No. 1

Znamenny Chant

Theotokion dogmatikon

S(div)A(div)T(div)B(div)

7

Km045

Km046

2

Tone 2 - Preide sen' zakonnaia

The shadow of the law passed

S.Op. 27, No. 2

Znamenny Chant

Theotokion dogmatikon

SAT(div)B(div)

5

Km046

Km047

3

Tone 2 - O chudese novago!

O new wonder!

S.Op. 27, No. 2

Znamenny Chant

Theotokion at the Aposticha

SA(div)T(div)B(div)

6

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Km048

4

Tone 3 - Kako ne divimsia?

How can we not wonder?

S.Op. 27, No. 3

Znamenny Chant

Theotokion dogmatikon

S(div)A(div)T(div)B(div)

7

Km048

Km049

5

Tone 4 - Izhe Tebe radi Bogootets prorok David

The Prophet David

S.Op. 27, No. 4

Znamenny Chant

Theotokion dogmatikon

S(div)A(div)T(div)B(div)

6

Km049

Km050

6

Tone 5 - V chermnem mori

In the Red Sea of old

S.Op. 27, No. 5

Znamenny Chant

Theotokion dogmatikon

S(div)A(div)T(div)B(div)

6

Km050

Km051

7

Tone 6 - Kto Tebe ne ublazhit?

Who will not bless you?

S.Op. 27, No. 6

Znamenny Chant

Theotokion dogmatikon

S(div)A(div)T(div)B(div)

6

Km051

Km052

8

Tone 7 - Mati ubo poznalasia esi

You were revealed to be a mother

S.Op. 27, No. 7

Znamenny Chant

Theotokion dogmatikon

S(div)A(div)T(div)B(div)

6

Km052

Km053

9

Tone 8 - Tsar' nebesnyi

The King of Heaven

S.Op. 27, No. 8

Znamenny Chant

Theotokion dogmatikon

S(div)ATB

6

Km053

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Km006

Dostoino est'

It is truly meet

S.Op. 6

Bulgarian Chant, T.1

S(div)A(div)T(div)B(div)

PJu #29144 1903

First printed edition

5

Km006

Km026

Dostoino est'

It is truly meet

Demestvenny [Freely composed]

S(div)A(div)TB

PJu #31000 1903

First printed edition

3

Km026

Km008

Dostoino est'

It is truly meet

S.Op. 8

Russian Greek Chant, T.4

SATB-ATB (divisi)

PJu #29148 1903

First printed edition

5

Km008

Km007

Dostoino est'

It is truly meet

S.Op. 7

Tsar Feodor's Melody

S(div)AT(div)B

PJu #29146 1903

First printed edition

3

Km007

Km005

Dostoino est'

It is truly meet

S.Op. 5

Znamenny Chant

S(div)A(div)T(div)B(div)

PJu #29142 1903

First printed edition

3

Km005

Km015

Edin Sviat

One is Holy

S.Op. 14

Based on Common Chants

S(div)A(div)T(div)B(div)

PJu #29160 1903

First printed edition

6

Km015

Km021

Eksapostilarii [Paskhi]

Exaposteilarion for Pascha

S.Op. 20

Bulgarian Chant, T.3

Plotiiu usnuv

S(div)A(div)T(div)B(div)

PJu #30996 1903

First printed edition

2

Km021

Km020

Eksapostilarii [Paskhi]

Exaposteilarion for Pascha

S.Op. 19

Russian Greek Chant

Plotiiu usnuv

SA(div)T(div)B(div)

PJu #30995 1903

First printed edition

2

Km020

Km012

Ektenii

Litanies

S.Op. 11

Kievan Chant

S(div)A(div)T(div)B(div)

PJu #29154 1903

First printed edition

4

Km012