Why don't I wear a burqa?

It is indeed a pressing theological question.

I didn't like them before...

...but I'm just going to say this: I'm completely boycotting any and all Holy Transfiguration Monastery (or "Holy" Transfiguration Monastery) texts now. I disliked them before for personal and aesthetic reasons, but, for more personal reasons, they're completely persona au gratin to me. Not even once. No prisoners.

I've been listening to far too much Sretensky Monastery Choir lately

Thinking about Pascha and musical arrangements, see. They have, quite humbly (it ain't bragging if it's true) set up the website bestchoir.ru. Anyway, while listening to a lot of their stuff, I found their performance of "Zemle Russkaya":

I have three thoughts:

1. The "House of Ephratha" melody needs to be used more.
   
2. This sort of aggressive, fast singing needs to be more common. It's a feast, not a funeral, man.
   
3. I can just see Slavophile converts using this as their ring tone.
   

I was amused

By this:

Is it just me...

... or is Perry just full of shit?

Diletsky

Perhaps I'm deluded, but some of these seem within the grasp of a parish choir that practices occasionally. I don't know that I've seen Diletsky done by anybody. Notable is the nicely traditional way of reading the Epistle seen in track 5.

Diletsky is notable for having the first published reference to the circle of fifths.