I was originally going to write a post on William Walton's Facade, however I'm much more at home with choral music and decided to take Zenbassoon's suggestion and tackle the Rachmaninoff Vespers.
Considered by many to be simultaneously Rachmaninoff's greatest achievement and the greatest musical achievement of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Vespers, Opus 37, was written in a two week stretch during the months of January and February of the year 1915. This was during the height of Rachmaninoff's powers (he had already composed his choral symphony "The Bells", the Third Piano Concerto and the Piano Sonata No 2). The premier performance of the work took place on March 10 in a charity concert given by the Moscow Synodal Choir. The work immediately garnered both praise from both critics and audiences. It was so successful that it was sung five more times that month.
As required by the orthodox church it is scored for alto and tenor soloists and unaccompanied chorus (which moves from four parts (SATB) through eleven parts in some movements)and utilizes in ten of it's movements actual chant melodies. The remaining five movements were original and consciously imitative of traditional chant.
The orthodox vespers service (or All Night Vigil) consists of the three canonical hours of vespers, matins and the first hour.
Vespers is the evening prayer service of the Roman Catholic, Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran churches. In the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches there are three forms: Great Vespers (used on Sundays and Holy Days), Daily Vespers and Small Vespers (a shortened form celebrated during the afternoon before an All Night Vigil).
Matins is the night or morning prayer service of those churches. In the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches it usually celebrated in the early morning hours on Sundays and feast days but monasteries sing it daily, where it ends around dawn.
The First Hour is a fixed time of prayer said at the first hour of daylight.
Rachmaninoff's work takes as it's texts sections of both Vespers (movements 1-6) and Matins (7-15).
He uses three styles of traditional chants in the work: znamenny chant, Greek chant and Kiev chant. Znamenny chant is characterized by unison complex melismatic singing. (A melisma a string of tones sung on one syllable.) Greek chant is a seventeenth-century form involving recitatives and simple melismas, and Kiev chant alternates between single note recitative and melodic sections.
With the Russian revolution and the subsequent suppression of religion in Russia the Vespers wasn't heard again in public for about 70 years. However, recordings were made for private study and export. The most famous one was recorded in 1965 by Alexander Sveshnikov with the State Russian Choir. This recording is prized for its extremely strong low basses and soloists.
Rachmaninoff himself listed this work among is two most favorite compositions (along with the choral symphony "The Bells").
In addition to this work, he wrote a Liturgy (the equivalent of a Mass), a Sacred Concerto and a student work for six part chorus with the latin text "Deus Meus." He is one of the few composers of church music that rarely stepped foot in a church (one of two problems the church had with him when sought to marry his wife).
I've chosen videos that have the sheet music included.
The performance:
USSR Ministry of Culture Chamber Choir
Conductor: Valeri Polyansky
VESPERS
1. Priidite, poklonimsia (Come let us worship)
This movement is not based on any chant, but is Rachmaninoff's own music. You'll notice that the work opens with an amen. This choral amen would be intoned at the end of the opening exclamation by the priest:
Glory to the holy,
consubstantial, life-creating,
and undivided Trinity,
now and ever, unto ages of ages.
The inclusion of this starting "Amen" would seem to refute what some musicologists believe, that this work was intended for concert use. This belief may come from the knowledge that Rachmaninoff was not a church goer. The text of this movement is a call to prayer:
Come, let us worship God, our King.
Come, let us worship and fall down
before Christ, our King and our God.
Come, let us worship and fall down
before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Him.
2. Blagoslovi, Dushe Moya (Bless the Lord, O My Soul)
This extremely slow movement based on a traditional greek chant, also opens with an amen, followed by the traditional chant of six verses of psalm 103 (104 in some translations) sung by an alto solo over lower voice drones, with distant angelic upper-voice refrains. The six verses of the psalm represent the first six days of Creation. Man having been created on the sixth day, the basses reprise a portion of the sixth refrain emphasizing “created all.” In the service this movement is called the "Psalm of creation".
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord.
My Lord, Thou art very great.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord.
Thou art clothed with honor and majesty.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord.
The waters stand upon the mountains.
Marvelous are Thy works, O Lord.
The waters flow between the hills.
Marvelous are Thy works, O Lord.
In wisdom hast Thou made all things.
Glory to Thee, O Lord, who hast created all,
created all.
After this is sung, the great litany is either chanted or recited followed by...
3. Blazhen Muzh (Blessed Be the Man)
The third movement is inspired by inspired by Znamenny chant, but is Rachmaninoff's original material. The text sets portions of Psalms 1 and 2, depicting salvation through repentance. Each verse of the psalm is followed by an alleluia refrain.
Blessed be the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Alleluia ...
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in Him with trembling.
Alleluia ...
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Alleluia ...
Arise, 0 Lord. Save me, 0 my God.
Alleluia ...
Salvation is of the Lord; and Thy blessing is upon Thy people.
Alleluia ...
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit,
now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. (repeated 2 more times)
In the service, this is followed by the Little Litany, "Lord I have cried" and the Entrance (a procession during which the clergy enter into the sanctuary through the Holy Doors.) That leads into...
4. Svete Tikhyi (O Serene Light)
This movement is based on Kiev chant and Rachmaninoff engages in some word-painting in the opening. You'll see that the simple accompaniment sung by the second sopranos and altos in measures 3 and 4 is a parallel perfect fourth apart. This type of parallel fourth harmony is one of the hardest things sing and keep in tune. The text is the Greek evening hymn (Phos Hilaron) more commonly translated as "O Gladsome Light."
Serene Light of the holy glory of the Immortal,
the Heavenly Father, holy and blessed,
Jesus Christ.
Now that we have come to the setting of the sun
and behold the light of evening,
we praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God.
Thou art worthy at every moment
to be praised in hymns by reverent voices.
O Son of God, Thou art the Giver of Life;
therefore all the world glorifies Thee.
The Prokeimenon (a psalm or canticle refrain for the day sung responsorially) is chanted at this point in the service. It is followed by Old Testament readings, the Augmented Litany, The prayer, "Vouchsafe, O Lord", Litany of Askings, Litia (a procession, followed by intercessions, usually saved for feast days) and Aposticha. these are allow followed by...
5. Nynye Otpushchayeshi (Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant)
This movement, Rachmaninoff's favorite (so much so, he requested it be sung at his funeral-although it proved impracticable when the time came and it wasn't sung), is most commonly known by the Latin name Nunc Dimittis. The text is from the Gospel of Luke, more specifically chapter 2, verses 29–32. It is known as the Song of Simeon. This movement is a favorite of basses for its final note, a low b-flat two octaves below middle c. The following is a recounting of what happened when Rachmaninoff played the movement for the conductor of the Choir, Nikolai Danilin and composer Aleksander Kastalsky...
Danilin shook his head, saying, "Now where on earth are we to find such basses? They are as rare as asparagus at Christmas!" Nevertheless, he did find them. I knew the voices of my countrymen. Of course, he did find them. I knew the voices of my countrymen, and I knew what demands I could make of Russian basses!
The music is once again based on Kiev chant sung by the solo tenor with a choral swelling chords in the middle voices that “approximate human breathing." The movement concludes with the bass line descending to a low B-flat pianissimo: death and burial preparatory to salvation and afterlife.
Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant
depart in peace, according to Thy word,
for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,
which Thou hast prepared before the face of all
people,
a light to enlighten the Gentiles,
and the glory of Thy people Israel.
The Artoklasia service would be held here if there was a Litia. Usually this would be followed by Psalm 33, and a blessing. However, Rachmaninoff places the following here instead.
6. Bogoroditsye Devo (Rejoice, O Virgin)
This movement is most commonly referred to as the Ave Maria, in fact it has long been published separately with the Ave Maria Latin text. It is original to Rachmaninoff. This is the final movement of that comes directly from the vespers service.
O Virgin Theotokos, rejoice.
Mary full of grace, the Lord is with Thee.
Blessed art Thou among women,
and blessed is the Fruit of Thy womb,
for Thou hast borne the Savior of souls.
MATINS
7. Slava V Vyshnikh Bogu (Glory to God in the Highest)
Matins begins with this text, which includes the song of the angels (sung to the shepherds announcing the birth of Jesus) and Psalm 51: 15. The music is original to Rachmaninoff.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace,
good will among men. (repeated 2 more times)
O Lord, open Thou my lips,
and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.
8. Khvalite Imya Gospodne (Praise the name of the Lord)
Based on Znamenny chant this movement is a setting of verses from psalms 134 nd 135.
Praise the name of the Lord. Alleluia.
Praise the Lord, O you His servants.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
He who dwells in Jerusalem. Alleluia.
O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good.
Alleluia, alleluia.
For His mercy endures forever. Alleluia.
O give thanks unto the God of Heaven.
Alleluia, alleluia.
For His mercy endures forever. Alleluia.
9. Blagosloven Yesi, Gospodi (Blessed art Thou, O Lord)
Again, this movement is based on Znamenny chant, he treats the this movement in oratorio-like fashion: the host of angels comprises the altos, tenors, and solo tenor, each of whom gets recitatives between ever more urgent choruses.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord.
Teach me Thy statutes.
The angelic host was filled with awe when it saw Thee among the dead.
By destroying the power of death, O Savior,
Thou didst raise Adam and save all men from hell.
Blessed...
“Why do you women dilute the myrrh with your tears?”
In the tomb the radiant angel cried to the myrrhbearers:
“Look at the tomb and understand: The Savior is risen from the dead.”
Blessed...
Very early in the morning the myrrhbearers ran to Thy tomb, lamenting;
but an Angel came to them and said: “The time for sorrow has ended. Weep not,
but announce the resurrection to the apostles.”
Blessed...
The sorrowful myrrhbearers neared Thy tomb, O Savior.
The Angel said to them: “Why do you number the living among the dead?
Since He is God, He is risen from the tomb!”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
We worship the Father, and His Son,
and the Holy Spirit:
the Holy Trinity, one in essence.
With the Seraphim we cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, O Lord!”
Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
By giving birth to the Giver of Life, O Virgin,
Thou didst deliver Adam from his sin.
Thou gavest joy to Eve instead of sadness.
The God-man who was born of Thee has restored
to life those who had fallen from it.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Glory to Thee, O God!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Glory to Thee, O God!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Glory to Thee, O God!
During the actual morning service the Gospel reading would be here, in concert performance most choirs place the intermission at this point.
10. Voskreseniye Khristovo Videvshe (Hymn of the Resurrection)
This movement is Rachmaninoff's own but was inspired by the call and response style typical of Russian psalm singing. The lower voices "call" in octaves, the upper voices in four part harmony with the "response".
Having beheld the resurrection of Christ,
let us worship the holy Lord Jesus,
the only Sinless One.
We venerate Thy Cross, O Christ,
and we hymn and glorify Thy holy resurrection:
for Thou art our God, and we know no other;
we call on Thy name.
Come, all you faithful,
let us venerate Christ’s holy resurrection.
For, behold, through the cross
joy has come into all the world.
Ever blessing the Lord,
let us praise His resurrection,
for by enduring the cross for us,
He has destroyed death by death.
11. Velichit Dusha Moya Gospoda (My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord)
This piece the text of the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) intesterspersed as verses with a refrain.
My soul doth magnify the Lord,
and my spirit doth rejoice in God
my Savior.
Refrain: More honorable than the Cherubim
and more glorious beyond compare than the
Seraphim, without defilement
Thou gavest birth to God the Word.
True Theotokos, we magnify Thee.
For He hath regarded the low estate
of His handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations
shall call me blessed. (Refrain)
For He who is mighty hath done great things for me,
and holy is His name,
and His mercy is on those who fear Him
from generation to generation ...(Refrain)
He hath put down the mighty from their thrones
and hath exalted those of low degree;
He hath filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He hath sent empty away. (Refrain)
He hath holpen His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy,
as He spake to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his seed forever. (Refrain)
12. Slava V Vyshnikh Bogu (Glory to God in the Highest)
This movement, called the Great Doxology, is based on Znamenny chant. The text is from various sources. It begins with the Gloria from the Mass and contains verses from various psalms 145 and 119.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
good will toward men.
We praise Thee, we bless Thee,
we worship Thee, we glorify Thee,
we give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory.
O Lord, Heavenly King, God the Father almighty.
O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
who takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
Thou who takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us.
For Thou only art holy,
Thou alone art the Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Every day I will bless Thee and praise Thy name forever and ever.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, God of our fathers,
and praised and glorified be Thy name forever. Amen.
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have set our hope on Thee.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord. Teach me Thy statutes. (repeated 2 more X)
Lord, Thou has been our refuge from generation to generation.
I said: Lord, have mercy on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee.
Lord, I flee to Thee.
Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God;
for with Thee is the fountain of life, and in Thy light we shall see light.
Continue Thy mercy on those who know Thee.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy upon us. (repeated 2 more X)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
The next two movements are collectively called Troparion or short hymns that usually consist of one stanza and explain the meaning of the church feast, the saint’s life, or an important event. Both of these are Znamenny chant-based and wouldn't normally be sung together at a single service.
Today salvation has come to the world.
Let us sing to Him who rose from the dead,
the Author of our life;
having destroyed death by death,
He has given us the victory and great mercy.
13. Dnes Spaseniye Miru Byst (Troparia of the Day of Salvation)
14. Voskres Iz Groba (Troparia of the Resurrection)
Thou didst rise from the tomb
and burst the bonds of hell,
didst destroy the condemnation of death, O Lord,
releasing all mankind from the enemy’s snares,
didst show Thyself to Thine apostles,
and didst send them forth to proclaim Thee;
and through them Thou hast granted Thy peace to
the world, Thou who art plenteous in mercy.
15. Vzbrannoy Voyevode (Thanksgiving to the Mother of God)
This final movement is based on Greek chant and it's text gives thanks to the Virgin for protecting mankind from evil.
I hope you enjoyed this diary on the Rachmaninoff Vespers I know I did writing it. I'll probably continue adding to it tomorrow as I interrupted the work I brought home to finish it, and I now have to go back to that unpleasant task. See you all next week.
I thoroughly enjoyed last Thursday's post on The Moldau by Dumbo. Everytime I read one of Dumbo's music diaries, I learn something new. So if you haven't had a chance to read and listen to it, please do so. And if you like that one, you can find all of them here.
Next Week: William Walton's Facade
Coming Weeks: Liszt: Either the Dante Symphony or the Faust Symphony, Gian Carlo Menotti: Various works, Andreas Hammerschmidt, Music for Halloween, Lesser known ? (lesser known works by a well known composer TBD), Bernstein Symphony #3 Kaddish