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Rachmaninoff: The All-Night Vigils

Posted by Greg Schneider on December 18, 2011 at 5:46pm
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The All-Night Vigil, 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 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.

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  • Greg Schneider December 18, 2011 at 5:50pm

    When I saw the title of this piece of music, it reminded me of the hospice volunteers who choose to do All-Night Vigils at the bedside of those who are dying. I have had that opportunity a few times myself while serving at the Zen Hospice Guest House in San Francisco. This music is so beautiful and appropriate for that situation. Thank you Michael Stillwater for introducing me to this delight.

    Michael Stillwater
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