Being the composer of sacred large-scale choral works (liturgies, masses), Alexander Gretchaninoff (1864-1956) is known to many people, also outside Russia. His early Four Chants Op. 4 for 4-8-part mixed choir, however, probably are a rarity and gem to be rediscovered in the choral repertoire. The choral settings still in the tradition of Tchaikovsky, Taneyev and Rimsky-Korsakov sing of nature observations of Romantic poets in the 'Russian' timbre (sometimes full of weltschmerz, sometimes folkloristic and cheerful).