Vespers 37 All Night Vigil - Orthodox Christian Prayer Book for Evening Worship & Divine Services | Perfect for Home Prayer, Church Services & Spiritual Meditation

Richard A. Kaplan, Fanfare magazineThis is a reissue of a 2004 recording for which I cannot find a review in the Fanfare Archive. It is published with the less-accurate title Vespers. Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil, his op. 37, is one of the last works he completed before fleeing Russia for good in 1917. With its chant-derived melody, its rich, modal harmonies, its free meters, and its divisi choir, the work has a unique and ravishing sound.Marcus Creed’s interpretation is mid-way between the expansive versions typical of Eastern European choirs and the more fleet approach taken by many Western choirs. Captured in resonant sonics, the professional SWR Vokalensemble has a full, pleasing sound. My only complaint is that in No. 2, “Bless the Lord, O My Soul,” alto Ulrike Koch is barely audible.This is a budget release, with no texts provided, and minimal notes. At about half the price of the recent Parkman version, though, and a third of that of the Jermihov, it will be attractive to the price-conscious collector, to whom it is recommended.