Giya Kancheli is not a member of any compositional "school," but in its profoundly simple means of expression and its mystical preoccupation with time, space, and motion, his music shares similarities with several other 20th-century Eastern European composers. From a primordial mix of musical elements, Kancheli seems not to compose in a formal sense, but rather guides the formation of melodic and rhythmic forces--what he calls a "musical progression," in which "silence turns into music." If this sounds just too strange to you, listen to the music, which sounds completely natural, fascinating, and beautiful. The program is divided into three sections--"Morning Prayers" (for chamber orchestra, voice, and flute), "Abii ne viderem" (string orchestra and viola), and "Evening Prayers" (chamber orchestra and voices). Chances are that you"ll find yourself entranced, enchanted, and even moved by its emotional intensity. You"ll also be impressed with the performers, who couldn"t be more attuned, involved, and impassioned. --David Vernier