All-Night Vigil
Sacred choral music by Sergei Rachmaninoff
The composer
Opus37
TextAll-night vigil
LanguageChurch Slavonic
DedicationStepan Smolensky
Performed23 March 1915 (1915-03-23): Moscow
Movements15
ScoringSATB choir

The All-Night Vigil (Pre-reform Russian: Всенощное бдѣніе, Vsénoshchnoye bdéniye; Modern Russian: Всенощное бдение) is an a cappella choral composition by Sergei Rachmaninoff, his Op. 37, premiered on 23 March 1915 in Moscow.

The piece 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 its fifth movement (Нынѣ отпущаеши, Nunc dimittis) be sung at his funeral.[3]

The title of the work is often mis-translated as Vespers. This 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.

History

Composition history

Rachmaninoff composed the All-Night Vigil in less than two weeks in January and February 1915.[4] 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".

Rachmaninoff's work is a culmination of the preceding two decades of interest in Russian sacred music, as initiated by Tchaikovsky's setting of the all-night vigil.[5][6] The similarities between the works, such as the extensive use of traditional chants, demonstrates the extent of Tchaikovsky's influence; however, Rachmaninoff's setting is much more complex in its use of harmony, textual variety and polyphony.[7]

Performance history

The first performance was given in Moscow on March 10, 1915, 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.[8] However the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the rise of the Soviet Union led to the government condemnation of religious music,[9] and on 22 July 1918 the Synodal Choir was replaced by a non-religious "People's Choir Academy".[10] It has been written that "no composition represents the end of an era so clearly as this liturgical work".[11]

Individual movements of Rachmaninoff’s Vigil are incorporated by conductors into the actual sacred performance, or celebration (to use the proper Orthodox term), of the All-Night Vigil. On the night of April 2, 2022, Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, celebrated a hierarchical All-Night Vigil that included all of the movements of Rachmaninoff’s work, incorporated with the complete order of the service.[12]

Analysis

The Vigil includes three styles of chant: znamenny (in numbers 8, 9, 12, 13 and 14), a more recitational Greek style (numbers 2 and 15), and "Kiev" chant — a chant developed in Kiev in the 16th and 17th centuries (numbers 4 and 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 respectively for alto and tenor. 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:

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...[3]

Movements

Note: Numbers 1–6 contain settings from the Russian Orthodox Vespers service (Russian: Вечерня, Večérnja), numbers 7–14 settings from Matins (Утреня, Útrenja), and number 15 from The First Hour (Первый час, Pérvyj čas).

Seq. Church Slavonic Transliteration English equivalent
1
 Пріидите, поклонимся. Priidite, poklonimsya. Come, Let Us Worship.
2
 Благослови, душе моя, Господа.
Греческаго распѣва.		 Blagoslovi, dushe moya, Gospoda.
Grecheskago raspeva.		 Bless the Lord, O My Soul.
Greek Chant.
3
 Блаженъ мужъ. Blazhen muzh. Blessed is the Man.
4
 Свѣте тихій.
Кiевскаго распѣва.		 Svete tikhiy.
Kievskago raspeva.		 O Gladsome Light.
Kyiv Chant.
5
 Нынѣ отпущаеши.
Кiевскаго распѣва.		 Nïne otpushchayeshi.
Kievskago raspeva.		 Now Lettest Thou.
Kyiv Chant.
6
 Богородице Дѣво. Bogoroditse Devo. Rejoice, O Virgin.
7
 Слава въ вышнихъ Богу (шестопсалміе). Slava v vïshnikh Bogu (shestopsalmiye). Glory To God in the Highest (the six psalms).
8
 Хвалите Имя Господне.
Знаменнаго распѣва.		 Khvalite Imya Gospodne.
Znamennago raspeva.		 Praise the Name of the Lord.
Znamennïy Chant.
9
 Благословенъ еси, Господи.
Знаменнаго распѣва.		 Blagosloven yesi, Gospodi.
Znamennago raspeva.		 Blessed Art Thou, O Lord.
Znamennïy Chant.
10
 Воскресеніе Христово видѣвше. Voskreseniye Khristovo videvshe. Having Beheld the Resurrection of Christ.
11
 Величитъ душа моя Господа. Velichit dusha moya Gospoda. My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord.
12
 Великое славословіе.
Знаменнаго распѣва.		 Velikoye slavosloviye.
Znamennago raspeva.		 The Great Doxology.
Znamennïy Chant.
13
 Тропарь. Днесь спасеніе.
Знаменнаго распѣва.		 Tropar'. Dnes spaseniye.
Znamennago raspeva.		 Troparion. Today Salvation is Come.
Znamennïy Chant.
14
 Тропарь. Воскресъ изъ гроба.
Знаменнаго распѣва.		 Tropar'. Voskres iz groba.
Znamennago raspeva.		 Troparion. Thou Didst Rise from the Tomb.
Znamennïy Chant.
15
 Взбранной воеводѣ.
Греческаго распѣва.		 Vzbrannoy voyevode.
Grecheskago raspeva.		 To Thee, Victorious Leader.
Greek Chant.

Recordings

The first recording of the Vigil was made by Alexander Sveshnikov with the State Academic Russian Choir of the USSR for the Soviet Melodiya label in 1965 – exactly half a century after the work's first performance. 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. This recording still has a legendary reputation, in part because of its extremely strong low basses, but also because of the solos by Klara Korkan and Konstantin Ognevoi.[13] The recording was first released in the United States in 1973 on the Melodiya-Angel label. The March 1974 edition of Stereo Review noted that Angel's general manager Robert E. Myers had "tracked down the recording" and "had to prevail rather heavily on the Soviet powers that be to make it part of their trade agreement with Angel".[14]

Year Conductor Choir Soloists Label
1965 Aleksandr Sveshnikov State Academic Russian Choir of the USSR Klara Korkan (mezzo-soprano)
Konstantin Ognevoy (tenor)		 Melodiya
1967 Karl Linke Johannes-Damascenus-Chor für Ostkirchliche Liturgie Marie-Louise Gilles
Günter Schmitz		 Christophorus
1978 Georgi Robev Svetoslav Obretenov Choir Natalia Peneva (alto)
Todor Grigorov-Tres (tenor)		 Vanguard
1983 Yevgeny Svetlanov Svetoslav Obretenov Choir Russian Disc
1984 Kenneth Montgomery Groot Omroepkoor Wil Boekel (alto)
Frank Hameleers (tenor)		 KRO-klassiek
1986 Valery Polyansky Chamber Choir of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR Irina Arkhipova (mezzo-soprano)
Viktor Rumantsev (tenor)
Yuriy Vishnyakov (basso profundo)		 Melodiya/Moscow Studio Archives
1986 Vladislav Chernushenko St. Petersburg Cappella Zhanna Polevtsova (mezzo-soprano)
Sergei Rokozitsa (tenor)		 Chant du Monde/IML
1987 Mstislav Rostropovich Choral Arts Society of Washington Maureen Forrester (mezzo-soprano)
Gene Tucker (tenor)		 Erato
1989 Robert Shaw The Robert Shaw Festival Singers Karl Dent (tenor) Telarc
1990 Matthew Best Corydon Singers Joya Logan (alto)
John Bowen (tenor)		 Hyperion
1991 Oleg Shepel Voronezh State Institute of Arts Chamber Choir Yelena Necheporenko (mezzo-soprano)
Aleksandr Zlobin (tenor)
Ruben Sevostyanov (tenor)
Aleksandr Nazarov (bass)		 Globe
1993 David Hill The Philharmonia Chorus Sarah Fryer (mezzo-soprano)
Peter Butterfield (tenor)		 Nimbus
1993 Nikolai Korniev St. Petersburg Chamber Choir Olga Borodina (alto)
Vladimir Mostovoy (tenor)		 Philips
1994 Robin Gritton Berlin Radio Chorus Tatjana Sotin (alto)
Thomas Kober (tenor)		 CPO
1994 Tõnu Kaljuste Swedish Radio Choir Malena Ernman (alto)
Per Björslund (tenor)
Nils Högman (tenor)		 Virgin
1994 Georgi Robev Bulgarian National Choir Capriccio
1995 William Hall William Hall Master Chorale Jonathan Mack (tenor)
1997 Aleksey Puzakov Choir of St Nicholas Church Tolmachi Tatiana Gerange (alto)
Dmitriy Borisov (tenor)
Nikolay Sokolov (archpriest)		 Boheme
1998 Stephen Cleobury Choir of King's College, Cambridge Margaret Cameron (alto)
Richard Eteson (Tenor)
James Gilchrist (tenor)
Jan Lochmann (bass)		 EMI
1998 Karen P. Thomas Seattle Pro Musica Yelena Posrednikov (alto)
Stuart Lutzenhiser (tenor)
Misha Myznikov (baritone)
1998 Roger McMurrin The Kyiv Symphonic Choir Valentyna Svitylnyk (mezzo-soprano)
Anatoliy Glavin (tenor)		 Music Kiev
2000 Aleksandr Govorov Accordance (male choir) Dmitriy Popov (tenor)
Vladimir Pasyukov (basso Profundo)
2000 Yevhen Savchuk Ukrainian National Capella "Dumka" Olga Borusene (soprano)
Mykhaylo Tyshchenko (tenor)
Yuri Korinnyk (tenor)		 Regis/Brilliant Classics
2000 Howard Arman Leipzig Radio Chorus Klaudia Zeiner (alto)
Mikhail Agafonov (tenor)
Lew Maidarschewski (bass)		 Berlin Classics
2000 Torsten Mariegaard Copenhagen Oratorio Choir Lotte Hovman (alto)
Poul Emborg (tenor)		 Classico
2001 Jaroslav Brych Prague Philharmonic Chorus Praga
2003 Dale Warland Dale Warland Singers Rezound
2004 Eric-Olof Söderström Finnish National Opera Chorus Raissa Palmu (soprano)
Erja Wimeri (contralto)
Eugen Antoni (tenor)		 Naxos
2004 Paul Hillier Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir Iris Oja (alto)
Vladimir Miller (bass)
Mati Turi (tenor)
Tiit Kogerman (tenor)		 Harmonia Mundi
2004 Nigel Short Tenebrae Frances Jellard (alto)
Paul Badley (tenor)		 Signum U.k.
2005 Thomas Edward Morgan Ars Nova Singers Adam Finkel (tenor)
J.R. Humbert (tenor)
Philip Judge (bass)
Brian du Fresne (chimes)		 New Art Recordings
2007 Marcus Creed SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart Hänssler
2008 Victor Popov Academy of Choral Art, Moscow A. Timofeeva (mezzo-soprano)
D. Kortchak (tenor)		 Denon
2010 Pasi Hyökki Talla Vocal Ensemble Fuga
2012 Sigvards Kļava Latvian Radio Choir Ondine
2012 Andrew Clark Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum
2013 Peter Broadbent Joyful Company of Singers Lorna Perry (alto)
Andrew Shepstone (tenor)		 Nimbus Records
2014 Teemu Honkanen Key Ensemble Kristina Raudanen (alto)

Mats Lillhannus (tenor)

Reino Kotaviita (bass)

 Fuga
2014 Kaspars Putniņš Netherlands Radio Choir BIS
2015 Charles Bruffy Phoenix Chorale and Kansas City Chorale Frank Fleschner (tenor)
Julia Scozzafava (mezzo-soprano)
Paul Davidson, Toby Vaughn Kidd, Bryan Pinkall, Bryan Taylor & Joseph Warner (incipits)		 Chandos Records
2016 Nicolas Fink WDR Rundfunkchor Beate Koepp (alto)
Kwon-Shik Lee (tenor)		 Clarus
2016 Stefan Parkman Academy Chamber Choir of Uppsala Patrik Wallin (tenor)
Annika Hudak (mezzo-soprano)		 Footprint Records
2017 Risto Joost MDR Rundfunkchor Klaudia Zeiner (alto)
Falk Hoffmann (tenor)		 Genuin
2017 Marcel Verhoeff Great Russian Academic Boys- and Malechoir Olga Marinova (alto)

Nikolay Almazov (tenor)

 VMS
2017 Peter Jermihov The Gloriæ Dei Cantores (directed by Richard K. Pugsley), with members of the St. Romanos Cappella, The Patriarch Tikhon Choir, and The Washington Master Chorale Mariya Berezovska (alto)

Dmitry Ivanchenko (tenor) Vadim Gan (clergy exclamations)

 Gloriae Dei Cantores Recordings
2017 Jeremy Backhouse Vasari Singers Catherine Wyn-Rogers (alto)

Adam Tunnicliffe (tenor)

 VasariMedia
2018 Irina Bogdanovich University of Warsaw Choir Jadwiga Rappé (alto)

Mateusz Markuszewski (tenor)

 University of Warsaw Choir, University of Warsaw
2018 Violetta Bielecka Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Agnieszka Rehlis (mezzo-soprano)

Rafal Bartminski (tenor) Krzysztof Drugow (bass) Choir of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic

 Dux Recording Producers
2020 David Wolfswinkel Koorinsident Minette du Toit-Pearce (alto)

Vasti Zeeman-Knoessen (alto) Nathan Zachary Lewis (tenor)

 Koorinsident Recordings
2023 Joseph Fort Choir of King's College London Caitlin Goreing (alto)

Chris O'Leary (tenor)

 Delphian Records
2023 Steven Fox The Clarion Choir PENTATONE
2023 Andrei Petrenko Yekaterinburg Philharmonic Choir Diliza Nadyrova (alto)

Victor Galler (tenor) Dmitry Kharpov (tenor)

 Fuga Libera

The Russian feminist protest punk rock group Pussy Riot used the sixth movement as the basis for its protest song "Mother of God, Chase Putin Away".[15]

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 Archived 2006-04-29 at the Wayback Machine
  3. 1 2 3 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. ↑ Perrie, Maureen; Lieven, Dominic; Suny, Ronald G., eds. (2006). The Cambridge History of Russia: Volume 2, Imperial Russia, 1689–1917. p. 115. ISBN 9780521815291.
  6. ↑ Clark, Duncan (2001). "Rachmaninov". Classical Music: The Rough Guide. p. 390. ISBN 9781858287218.
  7. ↑ Harrison, Max (2006). Rachmaninoff: Life, Works, Recordings. pp. 197–198. ISBN 9780826493125.
  8. ↑ Sergei Bertensson, Jay Leyda, Sophia Satina, Sergei Rachmaninoff: A Lifetime in Music, Indiana University Press, 2001, p. 192
  9. ↑ Green, Jonathon; Karolides, Nicholas J. (2009). The Encyclopedia of Censorship. p. 590. ISBN 9781438110011.
  10. ↑ Svetlana Zvereva, tr. Stuart Campbell, Alexander Kastalsky: His Life and Music, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2003, p. 204
  11. ↑ 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
  12. ↑ Прямая трансляция | Всенощное бдение. Митрополит Иларион. 02.04.2022, retrieved 2022-04-03
  13. ↑ Rachmaninoff Vespers/Concerto/Rhapsody Archived 2007-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ↑ Vespers, Op. 37, Records in Review, 1975 edition, Wyeth Press, p. 317
  15. ↑ Zabyelina, Yuliya; Ivashkiv, Roman (January 2017). "Pussy Riot and the Politics of Resistance in Contemporary Russia". Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Criminology & Criminal Justice. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190264079.013.208. ISBN 978-0-19-026407-9.
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