Sergei Rachmaninoff.: All-Night Vigil (Vespers)

Rachmaninoff?s music for the All-Night Vigil service ? long known inaccurately as his ?Vespers? ? is a masterpiece in its own right. It draws on centuries-old Orthodox chant and the performance tradition of Russian folk music and embodies the ideal of Russian church music championed by a group of Moscow musicians of the time. In this All-Night Vigil the great composer-pianist-conductor has allied his own imagination skill and experience with the expertise built up at the Synodal School of Church Music ? not least by its choir which gave the first performances at several Moscowconcerts.   This edition has been carefully prepared to present Rachmaninoff?s music in a clear and easily readable format and also offers a new transliteration of the Church Slavonic text. For the first time an audio pronunciation guide is provided online which will prove indispensable for choirs wishing to perform this most beautiful of masterpieces.   In the November/December issue of Choir and Organ Jeremy Summerly writes that this edition of All-Night Vigil is 'a timely publication and it is difficult to imagine it presented better.' He says that the 'introductory material is immaculate and places this culturally complex work in its colourful historical context ' making this a 'legible user-friendly and authoritative edition...a model of its type.'   Editor Stuart Campbell has contributed articles on Russian music to The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (second edition) and Die neue MGG. Cambridge University Press published two volumes of his anthology of criticism entitled Russians on Russian Music. He is a tutor for the adult-education units of the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow and joint musical director (with Svetlana Zvereva) of the chamber choir Russkaya Cappella.

Par RACHMANINOV SERGEI. Rachmaninoff lui-même considéré comme son Vêpres, aussi connu sous le titre de vigiles, l'une de ses meilleures compositions. Le travail est basé sur la vieille de plusieurs siècles orthodoxe chants avec leur forme liturgique stricte qui ont été fusionnés par Rachmaninoff à son propre lat / The Monuments of Russian Sacred Music Series IX, V / Répertoire / Choeur Mixte a Cappella (SATB)

An original and exciting collection of anthems and other choral pieces written for the Orthodox Church and inspired by the Church in Russia, selected by Ralph Allwood. Partly because of the re-emergence of the Church in the former Soviet Union, interest in Christian musical sources alternative to the great body of the Anglican and other Western Christian traditions has grown sharply in recent years. Though the works presented here may be unfamiliar, they are all masterly. Designed to appeal to choirs of various levels, the collection includes a Kontakion and Ikos for the funeral service, anthems by Great Russian Romantics: Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Grechaninov - and composers from our age: Stravinsky, Schnittke, or Arvo Part speaking for a tradition outside the Orthodox Church, as well as settings of the Lord's Prayer in both Russian and English by John Tavener. / Chant Et Piano

These fifteen numbers form what is called in Russian Combined Prayer Service or All Night Vigil consisting of the vesper and matin service linked together for the nights of vigil preceding the great holidays. I must not therefore be confused with the liturgy or the communion service for which Rachmaninov has also written a musical setting. A word of praise should be spoken for the English text provided by Canon Winfred Douglas. This indefatigable champion of the Russian school has labored lovingly over these translations and adaptations and has achieved a truly notable result.

Rejoice O Virgin-Bogoroditsè Devo (Rejoice O Virgin) is a work by Sergei Rachmaninoff for Unaccompanied SATB Choir. From the 'All-Night Vigil ' this is the Vocal Score featuring a pronunciation guide and an explanation of the transliteration and translation. The lyrics are in the original and a phonetic transliteration.

Blessed art Thou O Lord-Blagosloven Yesi Gospodi (Blessed Art Thou O Lord) is a work by Sergei Rachmaninoff for Unaccompanied SATB Choir. From the 'All-Night Vigil ' this is the Vocal Score featuring a pronunciation guide and an explanation of the transliteration and translation. The lyrics are in the original and a phonetic transliteration.

Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis is a work by Sergei Rachmaninoff for Unaccompanied SATB Choir. From the 'All-Night Vigil ' this is the Vocal Score featuring a pronunciation guide and an explanation of the transliteration and translation. The lyrics are in the original and a phonetic transliteration.

O come let us worship-Priidite Poklonimsya (O Come Let Us Worship) is a work by Sergei Rachmaninoff for Unaccompanied SATB Choir. From the 'All-Night Vigil ' this is the Vocal Score featuring a pronunciation guide and an explanation of the transliteration and translation. The lyrics are in the original and a phonetic transliteration.

Today is Salvation-Dnes' Spaseniye (Today Is Salvation) is a work by Sergei Rachmaninoff for Unaccompanied SATB Choir. From the 'All-Night Vigil ' this is the Vocal Score featuring a pronunciation guide and an explanation of the transliteration and translation. The lyrics are in the original and a phonetic transliteration.

Bless the Lord O my soul-Blagoslovi Dushè Moya Gospoda (Bless The Lord O My Soul) is a work by Sergei Rachmaninoff for Solo Alto Voice and Unaccompanied SATB Choir. From the 'All-Night Vigil ' this is the Vocal Score featuring a pronunciation guide and an explanation of the transliteration and translation. The lyrics are in the original and a phonetic transliteration.