Most of the music is clearly steeped in the Orthodox tradition, infused with memories of Mozart’s Requiem, but includes disquieting elements such as the Musorgsky-like funeral bell chord which makes ominous reappearances, like the bell in Britten’s War Requiem….Slatkin, who admits a deep belief in this work, draws a touching performance.

The present performance is deeply committed. Slatkin obviously undertook the project as a labor of love, and he conveys his belief in the score to his vast forces. Soprano Anna Dennis sings with a lovely lyric tone and enough force for the moments requiring it.

The three soloists and four choirs involved have really grasped what is needed to communicate this complex work, and Slatkin’s driven direction of the Orchestra of St Luke’s means that the tension never lets up. It may have had to wait until now to be revealed to audiences but this is an extraordinary work and this fine recording will, I am convinced, ensure that it acquires a permanent place in the repertoire.