Of the fifteen hymns in the All-night Vigil, Rachmaninoff used traditional chant melodies for ten and invented five of his own, which he called 'conscious counterfeits' due to their similarity to authentic chants.
Composer Biography
Rachmaninoff, who frequently attended church services with his devout grandmother, was deeply influenced by the multi-layered ringing of Russian church bells, which is evident in many of his works.
Interpretation
This recording of Rachmaninoff's All-night Vigil features an arrangement for male choir, which is a departure from the original premiere by a mixed choir of boys and adult singers.
Recording & Production
The recording was made in the Russian Orthodox Convent Monastery Church of the Ascension in Jerusalem, chosen for its rich acoustic and location atop the Mount of Olives.
Composition History
Rachmaninoff composed his All-night Vigil in 1915, a year marked by the turmoil of World War I and the impending Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.
Instruments
This recording uniquely features eight octavists, including the legendary Glenn Miller, allowing for the stunning sonority of Rachmaninoff's score to be realized with a male choir.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Rachmaninoff dedicated his All-night Vigil to the memory of Stepan Smolensky, a chant scholar and musicologist who was instrumental in developing a national Russian style in Orthodox church music.
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