Rachmaninoff’s All-night Vigil (Rachmaninoff’s Vespers)
Keele Bach Choir 
29 June 2024, 7:30pm 

For our summer concert, we’re delighted to be performing Rachmaninoff’s intense and profoundly moving All-night Vigil (often referred to as his Vespers, although the Verspers sections make up only part of the work). Premiered in 1915, the work was one of Rachmaninoff’s two favourites from his compositions. Indeed, he requested that the fifth movement, Nunc dimittis, should be played at his funeral. Rather like Handel with Messiah, Rachmaninoff composed this choral and religious masterpiece in an astonishingly short time – in under two weeks. This mesmeric, haunting, and mystical work is largely based on chants drawn from the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Come along and immerse yourself in an other-worldly atmosphere of intense spirituality, devotion, and beauty drawn from deep wells of Russian piety (just for the evening, mind you, not all night!).

Tickets on sale one month before the concert.

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