Chapter Eight

"It is amazing with what a deep sense of beauty this composition for church, choirs and cello is permeated," said Mstislav Rostropovich when he first heard Chapter Eight. Russian composer Alexander Knaifel (1943-2024) set the Old Testament Song of Songs to music as a "community prayer" that was to be performed "in a resonant church acoustic". The subtle blending of sounds is central to a work "without plot or drama," as Knaifel said, but certainly not without mystery. Here cellist Patrick Demenga is called upon to forego the soloist role and dedicate himself to the collective singing of the three choirs under the direction of Estonian conductor Andres Mustonen and the penetrating atmosphere of the church. The album was recorded in the Jesuit Church in Lucerne, which was built in the Baroque period and has long been renowned for its exceptional acoustic qualities.