Featured Work
All-Night Vigil (Vespers), Op. 37
by Sergei Rachmaninoff
(performed without intermission)
Seattle
Saturday, March 13 — 8:00 pm
7:00 pm Pre-concert talk by director Freddie Coleman
Lynnwood
Sunday, March 14 — 3:00 pm
6215 196th St SW, Lynnwood
2:00 pm Pre-concert talk by director Freddie Coleman
Experience one of the most breathtaking achievements in choral music. Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil surrounds listeners with soaring melodies, rich sonorities, and moments of profound stillness that seem to suspend time itself. Whether you are drawn by its spiritual depth, its extraordinary vocal writing, or simply the chance to hear a masterpiece performed live, this remarkable work offers an unforgettable journey of beauty, reflection, and transcendence. Few musical experiences are as moving—or as deeply rewarding—as hearing the Vespers in concert.
About the Music
All-Night Vigil (Vespers), Op. 37 by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 – 1943)”
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Composed in 1915 during a period of profound artistic maturity, Sergei Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil, Op. 37—often known as the Vespers—is widely regarded as one of the masterpieces of the choral repertoire. Drawing upon ancient chants and centuries of Russian Orthodox liturgical tradition, the work unfolds in fifteen movements that trace the course of an evening and morning vigil service. Rachmaninoff enriches these venerable melodies with his own distinctive harmonic language, creating music of remarkable warmth, depth, and spiritual intensity.
Although conceived for worship, the All-Night Vigil transcends any single religious setting through its expressive power and humanity. Moments of quiet contemplation alternate with passages of radiant praise, while the composer’s rich textures and soaring lines reveal a profound sensitivity to the capabilities of the human voice. The result is a work that invites listeners into a world of reverence, mystery, and transcendent beauty.
More than a century after its premiere, the All-Night Vigil remains one of Rachmaninoff’s most beloved achievements. Its combination of ancient tradition and modern artistry continues to captivate performers and audiences alike, offering an experience that is at once deeply personal and universally moving.