拯救俄罗斯宗教音乐传统

AS IT IS 2015-09-27 Saving Russian Religious Music Traditions 拯救俄罗斯宗教音乐传统

Many religions use music to help communicate their message.

What you are listening to now is a choral work performed in the Russian Orthodox Church. This kind of singing is different from other religious traditions. And it is this kind of singing that a U.S.-based choir¹ hopes to keep alive.

The choir is part of the Patriarch Tikhon Russian-American Music Institute. The group recently went to Russia for training in what is known as the Slavonic tradition of music.

All 35 members of this choir are Russian and citizens of the United States. The group sang during religious services in Moscow. The choir’s leadership said they want to protect this musical tradition.

In North America, the Russian Orthodox Church has about 2,500 churches and monasteries², which are properties for religious workers.

Music is an important part of the Orthodox religious experience. The choir’s website states that Orthodox Christian³ worship in public “cannot take place without singing. In the Russian Orthodox Church,” it says, “a glorious tradition of church singing dates back at least a thousand years.”

The Patriarch Tikhon Russian-American Music Institute says it is interested in building better relations between Russians and Americans at a time of tension over Ukraine.

And they see music as a way of doing that.

Vladimir Gorbik is the head of the Patriarch Tikhon choir. He says his group is about religion, not politics. But western media often note close ties between Russia’s Orthodox Church and the Russian government.

Alexei Malashenko is with the Carnegie Moscow Center. The center is part of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Mr. Malashenko talks about the connection between politics and religion in Russia. He says President Vladimir Putin uses the Orthodox Church to support his secular⁴ goals. 

"Russian Orthodox Church is used by Putin, by president, as a tool for mobilization of the population, of Orthodox population, in order to support what power, secular power, is doing now."

The Russian Orthodox Church in the United States shares religious values with the Orthodox Church in Russia. But the U.S. church operates independently from the Russian church.

Alex Lukianov is with the musical institute. He explains that in Russia, the government and religion have always been connected, or as he says, intertwined. But he adds changes within the government have not kept up with changes in the church. 

"The government and the church have always been closely intertwined in Russia. The government's changed more so than the church has. You know, I think there are some things that have caused tension as a result of that."

But it is not all politics for the church leadership in Russia.

Mr. Lukianov says the church in Russia is also doing a lot of good things, such as building and fixing churches and monasteries.

With the help of the Russians, the choir hopes to bring a group of Russian Orthodox Americans to Moscow every year to keep up the singing tradition.

Words in This Story

preach – v. to make a speech about religion in a public place

worship – n./v. to show respect and love for God or for a god especially by praying, having religious services, etc.

secular – adj. not religious; of, relating to, or controlled by the government instead of by the church

monastery⁵ – a place where religious workers live and work together

intertwined – adj.  to be or become closely involved with each other

1 choir   

n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• The church choir is singing tonight.今晚教堂歌唱队要唱诗。

2 monasteries   

修道院( monastery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• In ancient China, there were lots of monasteries. 在古时候，中国有许多寺院。
• The Negev became a religious center with many monasteries and churches. 内格夫成为许多庙宇和教堂的宗教中心。

3 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

4 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

5 monastery   

n.修道院，僧院，寺院

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• She was appointed the superior of the monastery two years ago.两年前她被任命为这个修道院的院长。