


Romeiko Ensemble has released the following recordings that are available in North America.

Byzantine Christmas: The Celebration of the Nativity in the Christian East
A first for liturgical chant recordings, Romeiko Ensemble presents a new production: a full color book explaining the celebration of Christmas in the Byzantine Empire, and a CD of Nativity hymns in English with unique Christmas carols sung in Greek.
Byzantine Christmas provides an overview of how Christmas (i.e. the Feast of the Nativity) was celebrated in the medieval Byzantine Empire. This production includes a description of the history and development of the celebration of the Feast of the Nativity, a summary of the theology, a complete description of the Icon of the Nativity, extensive quotations from the Fathers of the Church on the Nativity, and an explanation of the role of Christmas carols in the celebration. This full-color production is richly illustrated with icons, and contains a CD of hymnology for the Feast chanted by Romeiko Ensemble in English, and also includes a selection of Christmas carols from various parts of Greece.
Of great interest is a specially commissioned icon entitled The Prokypsis, a rare icon illustrating the Byzantine emperor being crowned by the infant Lord, an unusual iconographic illustration of the relationship of church and state in the Byzantine Empire. An essay on the Prokypsis is included, as well as the first ever recording of the Prokypsis hymn.
Early Reviews:
The CD is both a noetic and an artistic feast! The Ensemble outdoes even their already lofty musical standards as they present these revered and well-known hymns in a way that is both faithful to the original Byzantine melodies, while fresh, lilting, and energetic.
Fr. Apostolos Hill
In keeping with the Orthodox emphasis on worshipping God with all our senses, this luxurious book and CD enables us to savor the Incarnation of our Lord through word, icon and song. A spiritual treat!
Fr. Anthony M. Coniaris

He Cometh At Midnight – The Bridegroom Service of Great & Holy Monday
This recording of the Bridegroom Service (Vespers and Matins) of Holy Monday includes all the hymns and is based on previously unpublished medieval compositions, and chanted antiphonally in Greek and English by two choirs. The digipak includes extensive liner notes booklet in English with hymn text in both English and Greek. Also included are notes from the director on the production, a short description of the service in the Eastern Orthodox Holy Week service structure, and writings by St. John of Damascus and St. Ambrose of Milan on the two themes of the service: the withered fig tree and the Patriarch Joseph. The cover illustration is a Nymphios icon commissioned especially for this production, and the interior is illustrated with never before reproduced medieval icon miniatures of the Patriarch Joseph in Egypt.

The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom – Mode I
A complete recording of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
with Priest, Deacon and Cantors performed on a Sunday of First Mode.
Recorded live at St. Anargyroi Church in Athens, Greece. It
includes all hymns and litanies as well as the "silent" celebrant's
prayers joyously intoned on 2 CDs. More than just a collection of the
hymns of the liturgy, this is a representative recording of the Divine
Liturgy itself. This recording is the world premiere
presentation of the papadic melodies of Byzantine master Ioannes Kladas
(14th c.), as well as the Typika in Mode I. Chanted in Greek, and
packaged in a small hard-bound, full color booklet (48 pages), the liner
notes include commentary by the scholar Rev. Maximos Lavriotes of
Cambridge University (UK) on the Divine Liturgy and complete text of the
service in English.
Fr. Apostolos Hill’s review of this recording says it all: “This
recording of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is perhaps the
finest such recording yet produced. The Romeiko Ensemble’s dedication to
their craft is apparent throughout. Most importantly, this recording is
the complete recording of the Liturgy inclusive of the ektenias
and the prayers of the celebrant. As such it provides context of
worship often lacking on other similar recordings. Both beautiful and
prayerful, this recording is a must-have for any serious lover of
Byzantine music.”

From Adam Unto Joseph
This features the music of the Forefeast of the Nativity in two CDs
within a full color book treating the subject of Christ's Nativity and
its associated chant. The Forefeast and the Feast of the Nativity are
among the most significant periods of the liturgical year, and this
production offers some of the most important chant selections from the
Nativity period. Notably, the kalophonic composition
Δανιλ ανρ
επιθυμιν (the Glory of Matins from the Sunday before Christmas) of Petros Bereketis in Mode Six (plagal of Tone
II).

Christ in the City of Bethlehem (Vithleem Etoimazou)
This is the 2-CD set of the music of the Forefeast of Nativity found
in “From Adam Unto Joseph” in a smaller, more affordable format. The
Byzantine chant offers a collection of some of the most important
selections of this festal period with a reduced commentary and limited
examples of original texts.
The hymns are chanted in Greek, with complete text provided in Greek
and English. The 47 page, full color book is hard bound for protection
and presentation. Together, the CDs and book make a wonderful gift at a
value price.

Prince of Peace (Anarchos Theos)
This CD/book set features the theology and practice of Christmas in
the Byzantine tradition, conveyed in text, icons, Byzantine chant and
Greek carols. The CD includes liturgical hymns (sung in Greek) from the
Feast of the Nativity, St. Basil and Epiphany, as well as Greek carols
from many regions. It is a wonderful representation of the “traditional”
Christmas celebration in Greece, and also a very good description of the
Nativity of our Lord.
The 82-page, full-color 8 x 8 inch hard bound book includes
commentary on the Nativity by Patristic Fathers, along with a narrative
on Christmas and hymn text in Greek and English.
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