Singing carols during the Christmas season has its rich and ancient tradition not only in Poland but also at our Eastern neighbors. Caroling has also played an indisputably important part on territories of our Eastern borders where Eastern Orthodox religion prevailed. The narration of the circumstances of Christ's Birth is generally following the New Testament. There appear however, certain variations in the Eastern Orthodox carols, namely .e.g an often repeated motif of the Lord's Mother laundering the baby diapers in the Jordan river or in the sea. Most Byelorussian and Ukrainian carols are remarkably similar in the melodic tonality to the Polish ones. And so, for example, the Ukrainian "Niebo i siemla" and the Byelorussian "Kali zbauca dziuny" immediately remind us of "Dzisiaj w Betlejem" and "Gdy sie Chrystus rodzi". On the other hand, the Byelorussian carol "Sionna u miescie Betlejemie" has been on an 18th century polonaise.
Late in 1993, a well-known conductor and founder of Chamber Music Choir "Capella Musicae Antique Orientalis", Leon Zaborowski, contacted me with a project revitalizing several dozen Easter Orthodox carols. Recording of the carols in the Gostyn basilica by "Capella" in the early spring of 1995 has resulted in a collection that faithfully recreates the spirit and character of those pearls of folklore creativity.

Song Title Information:

  1. Oj Widit Boh
  2. Niebo I Ziemla
  3. Nowa Radost Stala
  4. Wsielennaja Wiesielisia
  5. Na Iordanskoj Reczy
  6. Diwnaja Nowina
  7. Po Wsiomu Switu
  8. Nowaja Radost
  9. Nowa Radost Stala
 10. Radujtiesia Wsi Ludije
 11. Widie Boh
 12. Likujuszczie
 13. Radujtiesia Wsi Ludije
 14. Bog Priedwiecznyj
 15. Wiesiela Swietu Nowina
 16. Diva Maryja
 17. Nowa Radost Stala
 18. Dnies Pojuszczie
 19. Priedwiecznyj
 20. Skinija Zlataja
 21. Nynie Adamie
 22. Swieciac, Swieciac Zoraczki
 23. Cwiet Myslennyj
 24. Kali Zbauca Dziuny
 25. Pakazalas U Niebie
 26. Oj, Na Mory, Mory
 27. Nowaja Radost
 28. Sionnia U Miescie Betlejemie