Amine Hachem is set to perform the tenor solo part in Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil on Sunday, March 15, 2020, with the West Village Chorale, at Judson Memorial in Manhattan, New York.

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 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 its fifth movement (Nunc Dimittis) be sung at his funeral.

The title of the work is often mistranslated as simply 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.

More About the All-Night Vigil:

The All-night vigil is a service of the Eastern Orthodox Church (and Eastern Catholic Church) consisting of an aggregation of the three canonical hours of Vespers, Matins, and the First Hour. The vigil is celebrated on the eves of Sundays and of major liturgical feasts.

The vigil has been set to music most famously by Sergei Rachmaninoff, whose setting of selections from the service is one of his most admired works. Tchaikovsky’s setting of the all-night vigil, along with his Divine Liturgy and his collection of nine sacred songs were of seminal importance in the later interest in Orthodox music in general, and settings of the all-night vigil in particular. Other musical settings include those by Chesnokov, Grechaninov, Ippolitov-Ivanov, Alexander Kastalsky, Hilarion Alfeyev, Clive Strutt and Einojuhani Rautavaara. It is most often celebrated using a variety of traditional or simplified chant melodies based on the Octoechos or other sources.

Movements:
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.

Arguably one of the most stunningly beautiful choral pieces ever written in the 20th century, and in any century, the Rachmaninoff’s sacred magnum opus comes to life in the magnificent acoustic of Judson Memorial Church.

~ March 15th, 2020

For Tickets please visit: http://westvillagechorale.org/concerts/