Ivan Koukouzel Angeloglassny Ensemble - Ancient Slavonic Chants

The liturgical chants in this recording�originally released by Monitor Records in 1994�come from the monastic tradition of medieval Bulgaria and are sung in Old Church Slavonic, the earliest recorded language of the Slavic peoples. The chants are performed a capella by the Ivan Koukouzel Angeloglassny (Ivan Koukouzel the Angel-Voiced) Ensemble, named after the renowned 14th-century Bulgarian composer. Two of his compositions are included in this album (tracks 6 and 7). The ensemble�s director, Tanya Christova, is a Bulgarian music scholar who has compiled early Slavic chants from throughout Bulgaria and transcribed them into modern notation. Brief liner notes provide background information on this singing tradition.