Hymn of the Cherubim

The “Hymn of the Cherubim” is an excerpt from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsy’s Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 41 (1878), a sacred a capella choral work and the first unified musical setting of the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom (347-407), Archbishop of Constantinople.

This hymn, The Cherubikon (Greek), is sung at the Great Entrance of the Byzantine liturgy and symbolically incorporates those present at the liturgy into the presence of the angels gathered around God’s throne. It announces:

We who mystically represent the Cherubim,
and who sing to the life-giving Trinity the thrice-holy hymn,
let us now lay aside all earthly cares
that we may receive the King of all,
escorted invisibly by the angelic orders.
Alleluia.

While most of Tchaikovsky’s setting of the liturgy uses traditional Slavonic chants with simple homophonic settings, he composed new music and free settings for six of the movements, including the Cherubikon.

Instrumentation
Flute 1-2, Oboe 1-2, Bb Clarinet 1-2, Bassoon 1-2, F Horn 1-4, Trombone 1-3, Tuba, Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, Timpani

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Score, parts (8.5×11 pages, PDF) — $30.00