Tchaikovsky, Our Father (Pater Noster) - Jeong, guitar

Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op.41, No 13 Our Father, composed in 1878.

While working on the Liturgy, Tchaikovsky was at his sister's home, out of the country. A letter dated November 23, 1877, shows the composer impressed in the face of the aesthetic appeal of Eastern Orthodox rites: "I was in lower Kyiv, and attended a service at the Bratsky Monastery. I was so impressed by the lovely church and by the extraordinarily beautiful service.”[1] It is noteworthy that Tchaikovsky created most of his sacred works in the decade from 1877.

The composer deliberately avoided excessive expression in the work. It is filled with lyricism, light and a feeling of peace. All of the Liturgy is enveloped in a mood of poetry and spiritual beauty which mirror the composer's relationship with God and his aesthetic feeling towards the Mass.[2] Its premiere was performed at the University Church of Kyiv, in June, 1879.

In this piece, the present doxology “For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever” is not included. The doxology in Didache 8:2, a first century doctrine of the church by the twelve apostles, has been lost for centuries. Complete copy was discovered by Archbishop Bryennios in 1875 and published in 1883. Thus the doxology was not known when Tchaikovsky composed this piece.[3]

An arrangement for guitar was made by the performer, based upon the transcription of P. Chesnokov for Male Choir of St. Petersburg, which is pious and touching.[4]

Performed in Nagoya, Japan, on May 31, 2019.
Artist: Jongkoo Jeong, Ph. D. in Physics (Polymer)

References
[1] M. Tchaikovsky, The Life and Letters of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky, London; New York: J. Lane, 1906, pp. 237–238
[3] J. Jeong, ‘Laudate’ (to be published.)