Alfred Schnittke - Sacred Music (Andrei Petrenko)

Information

Composer: Alfred Schnittke

• Three Sacred Hymns
• Concerto for Choir

Yekaterinburg Philharmonic Choir

Andrei Petrenko, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: Fuga Libera

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This album by the Yekaterinburg Philharmonic Choir features Alfred Schnittke’s Three Sacred Hymns and Concerto for Choir, the latter set to texts by Grigor Narekatsi. Under the artistic direction of Andrei Petrenko, the recording emphasizes the spiritual and transcendent qualities of Schnittke’s choral writing. Petrenko describes the Concerto as a richly layered work that invites both performers and listeners to move beyond earthly concerns toward a heightened spiritual realm. Drawing on sacred poetry and profound musical textures, the program highlights themes of devotion, introspection, and the search for meaning through the fusion of text and sound.

Andrei Petrenko is a Russian choral conductor and educator, trained at the Leningrad Conservatory in choral conducting under E.P. Kudryavtseva-Murina. He began his career with the Choir of Singing Fans of the Leningrad Choral Society, later serving in major artistic and academic roles, including professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and director of its Chamber Choir. From 2000, he was Chief Choirmaster of the Mariinsky Theatre, where he led major choral works and opera productions, earning international recognition, including a Grammy nomination and an ICMA award. Since 2015, he has been Artistic Director of the Yekaterinburg Philharmonic Choir, with which he has toured widely and recorded extensively.

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