Customer Reviews

Rachmaninov: All-Night Vigil

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I currently own 4 different recordings of Rachmaninoff's Vespers and have listened to many more. I am an enormous fan of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and consider them one of the very best choral ensembles in the world, so I just had to pick this CD up. It is too remarkable not to give 5 stars, but I was disappointed with a few things:

1. This choir's intonation is generally as good as it gets, and I was really suprised that on a few tracks, they go flat.

2. I am a major fan of Paul Hillier and his conducting, but I did find some of his interpretations on this recording a bit on the dry side.

3. The basso profundo who adds the incredible depth to the bass section is Vladimir Miller, one of the deepest and foremost true bassos in the world today. For some reason, at the end of the fifth movement which contains the famed descent to the lowest B-flat, he apparently almost closes his mouth on the last few notes.

In any case, this recording is simply gorgeous. Their sound is absolutely perfect for this music, their tuning, blend, and resonance is astounding, and the low bass notes are more perfect and balanced than any recording of this music I've heard. Also, I found the choice to include a few original intonations and chants and on the recording very enjoyable and satisfying, as they are all sung impeccably. This is definitely a CD to get if you love the Vespers or are into Orthodox choral music in general.

I own an old, unmarked casette tape of these vespers, apparently sung by a Russian choir during Rachmaninov's life, though its origen is unknown. It is hard to imagine the original performance because the recording quality is poor. I have also heard the vespers sung by English-speaking choirs a few times, and, though the choral quality was excellent each time, there was a noticeable lack of familiarity and a clumsiness with the Russian language that marred these performances. In this new recording the Estonian choir, likely Russian speakers, handle the language with ease and are able to focus their considerable skills on expression. The result is a powerful, clear, and moving performance that elevates these great compositions to new heights, at least in my experience. The recording manages to capture a spatial, tonal, and dynamic depth that does justice to the composer's wide-open harmonies. While listening, it is easy to imagine oneself a participant in the Orthodox liturgy.

I highly recommend this recording as a powerful addition to any collection of Russian, Romantic, or sacred music.

This recording isn't quite my favourite, but it is definitely one of the best there is, no doubt about it. Until hearing Polyansky's & Hillier's recordings I thought to myself while listening to (other) recordings: "Nawww... this CAN'T be the best recording of Rachmaninov's Vespers!" lol but this one really caught my ear. I like the sound of small(ish) chamber choirs much better than big ones (like Robert Shaw's) & the performance is very fluid, basses "rise from the centre of the Earth" (as some other review said elsewhere) but aren't muddy & the soloists really get into it. In particular Iris Oja on "Blagoslovi Dushe Moya Gospoda" (track 2) sounds like he's practically crying for the whole thing. Again, not my favourite - Polyansky's - but it's so good I listen to it just about as much as that one. Well done Paul Hillier!

Rachmaninov's Vespers (aka All-Night Vigil) is a unique work for unaccompanied chorus that is rapidly becoming a staple in the repertoire of the major choral ensembles of the world (the Los Angeles Master Chorale recently performed the work sumptuously in the perfect acoustic of the Disney Hall - a performance that deserves a recording!) as well as the more sophisticated university and church choirs. The work is staggeringly difficult intonation-wise, but despite the subtitle of 'All-Night Vigil' it is only slightly in excess of an hour's music.

But what superb music it is. Rachmaninov beautifully combines the ancient with the modern, relying heavily on the Russian liturgy but infusing folk-like elements into the choral writing. This recorded performance is about as pure as they come. Paul Hillier conducts and his chorus responds with the extremes of mood and spiritual otherworldliness that the work demands. Though there are many recordings of the Vespers now available, for the pure Russian, bass-favored sound, this recording is among the finest. Grady Harp, November 06

I have other recordings of this work (usually called "Vespers") and thought I had the ultimate in one recorded in Russia. But I gave this one a try after hearing a good review on NPR. Wow. I found myself alternately with chills, goose bumps, tears.

Don't play this music in your car or office. It isn't background music. Put it on a good stereo, sit and be transfixed and bathed in glory.

Hillier and the Estonian Chorale have done a wonderful job interpreting Rachmininov's Vespers (All-Night Vigil). The richness of voices coupled with great sensitivity to Rachmaninov's intended moods sets this recording apart from those produced by others. Bravo!

Rachmaninov ,s music creates an auditable connection to the spiritual feelings of love and suffering attched to our belief in the life of Christ