A choral concerto may sound like a contradiction in terms, but it is a genre of long-standing in Russian music, dating back to the early 18th century and still flourishing today. The word "concerto" here (the Russian and Ukrainian terms for the genre are similar to the English) does not denote instrumental solos but rather an element of contrast of some kind. This was the original meaning of "concerto" and "concerted music," and in the Russian tradition, it indicates a mixture of elements that range from traditional Orthodox choral singing to Western influences to folk melodies. All the pieces are unaccompanied. The choral concerto began as a sacred genre, later adding original texts as well as liturgical ones and some secular pieces. As the title indicates, the here offers a broad selection of works in the genre, from those by its early master, , to more recent examples by , (who also excelled in traditional religious music), and, most delightfully, . The singing is rich and deep throughout and speaks well of the work done with this relatively new choir by its conductor, (apparently no relation to or ). The sound environment of the Grand Hall of the Sverdlovsk Philharmonic is congenial, and for many Western listeners, this release will be hardly short of revelatory. ~ James Manheim