Serge Rachmaninoff - Vespers - All-Night Vigil. Olga Borodina, mezzo-soprano. Vladimir Mostowoy, tenor. St. Petersburg Chamber Choir. Nikolai Korniev. The All-Night Vigil (Russian: Всенощное бдение, Vsenoshchnoe bdenie), Opus 37, is an a cappella choral composition by Sergei Rachmaninoff, written and premiered in 1915. It consists of settings of texts taken from the Russian Orthodox All-night vigil ceremony. It has been praised as Rachmaninoff's finest achievement and "the greatest musical achievement of the Russian Orthodox Church". It was one of Rachmaninoff's two favorite compositions along with The Bells, and the composer requested that one of its movements (the fifth) be sung at his funeral. The title of the work is often translated as simply Vespers, which is both literally and conceptually incorrect as applied to the entire work: only the first six of its fifteen movements set texts from the Russian Orthodox canonical hour of Vespers. Rachmaninoff composed the All-Night Vigil in less than two weeks in January and February 1915. The first performance was given in Moscow on March 10 of that year, partly to benefit the Russian war effort. Nikolai Danilin conducted the all-male Moscow Synodal Choir at the premiere. It was received warmly by critics and audiences alike, and was so successful that it was performed five more times within a month. However the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the rise of the Soviet Union led to a ban on performances of all religious music, and on 22 July 1918 the Synodal Choir was replaced by a nonreligious "People's Choir Academy". It has been written that "no composition represents the end of an era so clearly as this liturgical work" 1. Приидите, поклонимся Priidite, Poklonimsya Come, Let Us Worship 2. Благослови, душе моя (греческого роспева) Blagoslovi, Dushe Moya Praise the Lord, O My Soul (Greek Chant) 3. Блажен муж Blazhen Muzh Blessed is the Man 4. Свете тихий (киевского роспева) Svete Tikhyi O Gentle Light (Kiev Chant) 5. Ныне отпущаеши (киевского роспева) Nyne Otpushchayeshi Lord, Now Lettest Thou (Nunc Dimittis) (Kiev Chant) 6. Богородице Дево, радуйся Bogoroditsye Devo, Raduisya Rejoice, O Virgin (Hail Mary (Ave Maria)) 7. Шестопсалмие (alternate: Slava V Vyshnikh Bogu) The Six Psalms (alternate: Glory To God in the Highest) 8. Хвалите имя Господне (знаменного роспева) Khvalite Imya Gospodne Praise the Name of the Lord (Znamenny Chant) 9. Благословен еси Господи (знаменного роспева) Blagosloven Yesi, Gospodi Blessed Art Thou, O Lord (Znamenny Chant) 10. Воскресение Христово видевше Voskreseniye Khristovo Videvshe Having Beheld the Resurrection 11. Величит душа моя Господа Velichit Dusha Moya Gospoda My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord (Magnificat) 12. Славословие великое (знаменного роспева) (alternate: Slava V Vyshnikh Bogu) The Great Doxology (Znamenny Chant) (alternate: Glory to God in the Highest) 13. Тропарь: Днесь спасение (знаменного роспева) Dnes Spaseniye Miru Byst Troparion: Today Salvation is Come (Znamenny Chant) 14. Тропарь: Воскрес из гроба (знаменного роспева) Voskres Iz Groba Troparion: Thou Didst Rise from the Tomb (Znamenny Chant) 15. Взбранной Воеводе (греческого роспева) Vzbrannoy Voyevode O Queen Victorious (Greek Chant)

• published: 13 Jan 2012
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