Holy God, No. 2

"Holy God" epitomizes prayerful simplicity. The choir declaims the "Thrice-Holy Hymn" in reverent homophonic chords that leave both singers and audiences spellbound. Conceived in the years 1988–1992, Sviridov's cycle Inexpressible Wonder was first performed in Moscow in 1992. It comprises various, unconnected liturgical texts—from the Divine Liturgy (1, 2, and 3), from the feast of Christmas (4), and Holy Saturday (6), which the composer is known to have studied over the years.