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^[1] and "the greatest musical achievement of the Russian Orthodox Church".^[2] It was one of Rachmaninoff's two favorite compositions^[3] along with The Bells, and the composer requested that one of its movements (the fifth) be sung at his funeral^[3]. 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. This article is about the vocal technique. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Rachmaninoff, in his later years, toured the United States extensively, and remained there from 1918 until his death. ... Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Russian Orthodox Church (Русская Православная церковь) is that body of Christians who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with the other patriarchs of the Eastern Orthodox Church. ... The All-Night Vigil (Russian: ), Opus 37, is an a cappella choral composition by Sergei Rachmaninoff, written and premiered in 1915. ... The Bells (Kolokola), Op. ... Canonical hours are ancient divisions of time (also called offices), developed by the Christian Church, serving as increments between prayers. ...

Composition and Performance History

The All-Night Vigil was written in less than two weeks in January and February 1915^[4], and was first performed in Moscow in the March 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^[5]. 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".^[6] It has been written that "no composition represents the end of an era so clearly as this liturgical work"^[7]. For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a series of political and social upheavals in Russia, involving first the overthrow of the tsarist autocracy, and then the overthrow of the liberal and moderate-socialist Provisional Government, resulting in the establishment of Soviet power under the control of the Bolshevik party. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

Description

The All-Night Vigil is perhaps notable as one of two liturgical settings (the other being the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom) by a composer who had stopped attending church services. As required by the Russian Orthodox Church, Rachmaninoff based ten of the fifteen sections on chant. However, the five original sections (numbers 1, 3, 6, 10, & 11) were so heavily influenced by chant that the composer called them "conscious counterfeits". This article refers to the Christian saint. ... The Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (Russian: ), also known as the Orthodox Christian Church of Russia, is a body of Christians who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with the other patriarchs and primates of the Eastern Orthodox Church. ... Chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. ...

The Vigil includes three styles of chant: znamenny (in numbers 8, 9, 12, 13 & 14), a more recitational 'Greek' style (numbers 2 & 15), and 'Kiev' chant - the Ukrainian adaptation of znamenny style (numbers 4 & 5). Before writing, Rachmaninoff had studied ancient chant under Stepan Smolensky, to whom he dedicated the piece. It is written for a four-part choir, complete with basso profondo. However, in many parts there is three, five, six, or eight-part harmony; at one point in the seventh movement, the choir is divided into eleven parts. Movements 4 and 9 each contain a brief tenor solo, while movements 2 and 5 feature lengthy solos for alto and tenor, respectively. The fifth movement Nunc dimittis (Nyne otpushchayeshi) has gained notoriety for its ending, in which the low basses must negotiate a descending scale that ends with a low B flat (the third B flat below middle C). When Rachmaninoff initially played this passage through to Kastalsky and Danilin in preparation for the first performance, Rachmaninoff recalled that: An example of hook and banner notation used by Okruzhniki Old Believers in 1884. ... A basso (or bass) is a male singer who sings in the lowest vocal range of the human voice. ... Harmony is the use and study of pitch simultaneity, and therefore chords, actual or implied, in music. ...

Danilin shook his head, saying, "Now where on earth are we to find such basses? They are as rare as asparagus at Christmas!" Nevertheless, he did find them. I knew the voices of my countrymen...^[8] For the botanical genus, see Asparagus (genus). ... For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ...

Movements

See also: All-night vigil

The All-Night Vigil (Russian: ), Opus 37, is an a cappella choral composition by Sergei Rachmaninoff, written and premiered in 1915. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Psalm 103 in Septuagint based translations) is a poem in the Bible. ... Phos Hilaron () is an ancient Christian hymn originally written in New Testament Greek. ... The start of the Nunc dimittis in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry The Nunc dimittis (also Song of Simeon or Canticle of Simeon) is a canticle from a text in the second chapter of Luke (Luke 2:29–32) named after its first words in Latin. ... The Visitation in the Book of Hours of the Duc of Berry For the David and the Giants album, see Magnificat (album) The Magnificat (also known as the Song of Mary) is a canticle frequently sung (or said) liturgically in Christian church services. ...

Discography

The first recording of the Vigil was made by Alexander Sveshnikov with the State Russian Choir (at the time known as the USSR Academic Russian Choir) for the Soviet Melodiya label in 1965. Because of Soviet anti-religious policies, this record was never available for sale within the USSR, but was only made for the export market and private study ^[9]. This recording still has a legendary reputation, in part because of its extremely strong low basses, but also because of the incredible solos by Klara Korkan and Konstantin Ognevoi. ^[10] Melodiya (Russian: Μелодия) was the state-owned major record company/label of the Soviet Union. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ...

• Aleksandr Sveshnikov, State Russian Choir/USSR Academic Russian Choir, Klara Korkan (mezzo-soprano), Konstantin Ognevoi (tenor), 1965, Melodiya/Yedang
• Karl Linke, C. Ludwig Pichler, Johannes-Damascenus Chor, Essen joined by the Choir of the Papal Russian College, Rome, 1967, Christophorus
• Vladislav Chernushenko, Leningrad Glinka Choir/St. Petersburg Cappella, 1978, Chant du Monde
• Georgi Robev, Bulgarian Choir "Svetoslav Obretenov", Natalia Peneva (alto), Todor Grigorov-Tres (tenor), 1978, Vanguard
• Evgeni Svetlanov, Bulgarian Choir "Svetoslav Obretenov", 1983, Russian Disc
• Valery Polyansky, Chamber Choir of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR, Irina Arkhipova (Mezzo Soprano), Victor Rumantsev (Tenor), 1986, Melodiya/Moscow Studio Archives
• Vladislav Chernushenko, St. Petersburg Cappella, Zhanna Polevtsova (mezzo-soprano), Sergei Rokozitsa (tenor), 1986, Chant du Monde/IML
• Mstislav Rostropovich, Choral Arts Society of Washington, Maureen Forrester (mezzo-soprano), Gene Tucker (tenor), 1987, Erato,
• Robert Shaw, The Robert Shaw Festival Singers, Karl Dent (tenor), 1989, Telarc
• Matthew Best, Corydon Singers, Joya Logan (alto), John Bowen (tenor), 1990, Hyperion
• Oleg Shepel, Voronezh State Institute of Arts Chamber Choir, Yelena Necheporenko (Mezzo Soprano), Alexander Zlobin (Tenor), Ruben Sevostyanov (Tenor), Alexander Nazarov (Bass), September 1991, Globe
• David Hill, The Philharmonia Chorus, Sarah Fryer (Mezzo Soprano), Peter Butterfield (Tenor), 1993, Nimbus
• Nikolai Korniev, St. Petersburg Chamber Choir, Vladimir Mostowoy (tenor), Olga Borodina (alto), 1993, Philips
• Robin Gritton, Berlin Radio Chorus, Tatjana Sotin (alto), Thomas Kober (tenor), 1994, CPO
• Tõnu Kaljuste, Swedish Radio Choir, Malena Emma (alto), Per Björslund (tenor), Nils Högman (tenor), January 1994, Virgin
• William Hall, William Hall Master Chorale, Jonathan Mack (tenor), 1995, Klavier
• Alexei Pouzakov, Choir of St Nicholas Church Tolmachi, Tatiana Gerange (alto), Dmitri Borisov (tenor), Nikolai Sokolov (archpriest), 1997, Boheme
• Stephen Cleobury, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Jan Lochmann (Bass), Richard Eteson (Tenor), Margaret Cameron (Alto), James Gilchrist (Tenor), 1998, EMI
• Karen P. Thomas, Seattle Pro Musica, Yelena Posrednikov (Alto), Stuart Lutzenhiser (Tenor), Misha Myznikov (Baritone), 1998
• Yevhen Savchuk, Ukrainian National Capella "Dumka", Mykhaylo Tyshchenko (Tenor), Olga Borusene (Soprano), Yuri Korinnyk (Tenor), 2000, Regis/Brilliant Classics
• Howard Arman, Leipzig Radio Chorus, Klaudia Zeiner (Alto), Mikhail Agafonov (Tenor), Lew Maidarschewski (Bass), 2000, Berlin Classics
• Jaroslav Brych, Prague Philharmonic Chorus, 2001, Praga
• Nikolai Korniev, St. Petersburg Chamber Choir, 2002, Pentatone
• Dale Warland, Dale Warland Singers, 2003, Rezound
• Eric-Olof Söderström, Finnish National Opera Chorus, Raissa Palmu (soprano), Erja Wimeri (contralto), Eugen Antoni (tenor), c. 2004, Naxos
• Paul Hillier, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Vladimir Miller (Bass), Iris Oja (Alto), Mati Turi and Tiit Kogerman (Tenor), 2004, Harmonia Mundi
• Nigel Short, Tenebrae, Frances Jellard (Alto), Paul Badley (Tenor), 2004, Signum U.k.

Valery Polyansky (born 1949 in Moscow) is a Russian orchestral and choral conductor. ... Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich KBE (Russian: Мстисла́в Леопо́льдович Ростропо́вич, Mstislav Leopoldovič Rostropovič, IPA: ), (March 27, 1927 – April 27, 2007), known to close friends as “Slava”, was a Russian cellist and conductor. ... Maureen Forrester (born July 25, 1930 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian contralto. ... Robert Shaw (April 30, 1916 – January 25, 1999) was an American conductor most famous for his work with his namesake Chorale, with the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. ... David Bennett Hill (August 29, 1843 - October 20, 1910) was a Governor of New York. ... The Swedish Radio Choir is one of the worlds leading professional classical choirs. ... Stephen Cleobury (b. ... For other uses, see Kings College. ... Karen P. Thomas Karen P. Thomas, composer and conductor, is the Artistic Director and Conductor of Seattle Pro Musica. ... Seattle Pro Musica Seattle Pro Musica is an American choir, based in Seattle, Washington, performing under the direction of conductor and artistic director Karen P. Thomas. ... The Dale Warland Singers were a highly successful and critically acclaimed 40-person choral group of the United States. ... Paul Douglas Hillier (b. ... The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (EPCC) is a world-class choir based in Estonia. ...

References

1. ^ Francis Maes, tr. Arnold J. Pomerans, Erica Pomerans, A History of Russian Music: From Kamarinskaya to Babi Yar, University of California Press, 2002, p. 206
2. ^ Rachmaninov's All Night Vigil: Vespers
3. ^ ^{a b} Sergei Bertensson, Jay Leyda, Sophia Satina, Sergei Rachmaninoff: A Lifetime in Music, Indiana University Press, 2001, p. 191
4. ^ Sergei Bertensson, Jay Leyda, Sophia Satina, Sergei Rachmaninoff: A Lifetime in Music, Indiana University Press, 2001, p. 190
5. ^ Sergei Bertensson, Jay Leyda, Sophia Satina, Sergei Rachmaninoff: A Lifetime in Music, Indiana University Press, 2001, p. 192
6. ^ Svetlana Zvereva, tr. Stuart Campbell, Alexander Kastalsky: His Life and Music, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2003, p. 204
7. ^ Francis Maes, tr. Arnold J. Pomerans, Erica Pomerans, A History of Russian Music: From Kamarinskaya to Babi Yar, University of California Press, 2002, p. 206
8. ^ Sergei Bertensson, Jay Leyda, Sophia Satina, Sergei Rachmaninoff: A Lifetime in Music, Indiana University Press, 2001, p. 191
9. ^ dannii minogue wick christina elo at serge-rachmaninoff.com
10. ^ Rachmaninoff Vespers/Concerto/Rhapsody

External links

• Program note
• Program note
• Rhodes College Mastersingers, directed by Tony Lee Garner, live recording from February,1998 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Memphis Tennessee. Free mp3s of complete performance