Gladsome Light (No. 2b)

This most ancient of Christian hymns, in continuous use by the Orthodox Church since the late third century, inspired four different musical settings by Kastalsky. Combining motives drawn from medieval Russian chants, the composer weaves a contrapuntal tapestry that shines and undulates like the rays of the eternal, gladsome, never-setting Light. With this edition, all of Kastalsky’s settings of this text are now available (catalog nos. Ks107, Ks109, and Ks151), enabling conductors to explore all four and decide which one is their favorite.