“The Sealed Angel” – Rodion Shchedrin

The Sealed Angel is a milestone of 20th-century Russian sacred choral music and simultaneously a call for freedom. Composed in the tradition of Orthodox church music, it draws stylistic inspiration from the tonal language of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff. Shchedrin was inspired by Nikolai Leskov’s 1873 novella of the same name, which tells the story of the dramatic rescue of a miraculous angel icon that had been confiscated and destroyed by authorities. The impressive richness of the choral colors intertwines with the enchanting sounds of the soloists and the Russian shepherd’s flute, symbolizing the angel’s voice. Complementing the performance are passages from Leskov’s text and flute improvisations. The story of the angel icon is both a plea for freedom and a source of strength and courage in difficult times.