If anyone ever doubted that English could be sung as a liturgical language, they should listen to this record. In an Orthodox liturgy there's never any question of a 'spoken' service: everything is sung, much of it as a dialogue between celebrant and choir. This English version of St John Chrysostom's liturgy adopts the style of language of the Book of Common Prayer. Surprisingly, the slightly archaic flavour rings true, especially in the voice of the celebrant—though neither he nor his assistant is English: the Archbishop is, of course, a Russian, and his assistant an American. The choir, emulating a Russian choir, achieves at times a fair approximation. But the balance needs sorting out: tenors are needed and fuller soprano tone. Much could be done to transform this willing instrument into a really first-class choir, especially if greater attention were paid to flexibility and dynamics. The singing is mainly unexciting, yet once, after some long stretches of rather beefy monotony, there is a moment of rare excitement and beauty: it is at the opening of the Creed, bursting out with conviction after the celebrant's cry: ''The doors! the doors! In wisdom let us give heed!'' The recorded quality is entirely satisfactory. '