Since I have been in Canada I haven’t experienced such a feeling of absolute movement generated by music as I did during the concert performed by Dragoslav Pavle Aksentijevic and four young musicians gathered round the group "Zapis" (Inscription).
Their electrifying performance on this evening revealed their virtuosity, passionate energy and an intensely emotional approach to the music.
The concert started with marvelous singing of psalms of Byzantine and Serbian authors from the 13th to 15th century.
During the performance of Alleluia From the Srbljak – (a collection of medieval Serbian religious poetry dedicated to Serbian Saints by Issaiah the Serb (15th century)) and Kratima Terirem by Joachim Charsianitis (14th century) interpreted with “ison”, we were honored to listen to a chanter who controls with ease the specific vocal technique required for the singing of these melodies with respect to breath and intonation as well as phrasing.
In the second part of the concert, they played ancient demotic, secular,
melographic iscriptions sung and played centuries back in Kosovo and Metohija,
southern and eastern Serbia.
Please visit our new section with some pictures from this concert
Their superb tuning, clear, bell-like sound during this staged presentation with forceful,
dynamic climax towards the end of the concert attest to this group’s superb musicianship.
At the same time, they generated a resonance phenomenon and turned this concert into
a memorable spectacle filling our souls with an angelic feeling .
Dragoslav Pavle Aksentijevic was born in Belgrade in 1942. He graduated and acquired a Master's Degree from the University of Belgrade Academy of Sciences and Arts. His art is devoted exclusively to the icon-painting style inspired by the old Byzantine and Serb fresco-painting.
Apart from his icon and fresco-painting he is active in
researching of the old spiritual music. The chants he interprets with "ison"
based on "neumes"
(taken from Serbian Unity Congress - website.)
©SAINT SAVA SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH CHOIR ( TORONTO– MISSISSAUGA )
Design and concept by Djordjo B. Vasic, 2004
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