Recording of Rachmaninoff Vespers by the Hertford College Chapel Choir

Icon of the Baptism of Christ in Hertford College Chapel, painted by Silvia Dimitrova-Potter.

The Hertford College Chapel Choir performed the sublime Vespers (Op. 37: Всенощное бдение All-night Vigil) by Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff (1873–1943) to a packed chapel at a late-evening service on Tuesday 12 February 2013. Vespers was written in Moscow in 1915. It is considered to be some of his finest work, combing his musical genius with scholarly treatment of the chant traditions. It was conducted by our senior organ scholar, Edmund Whitehead.

Below is the live recording of five movements from the Vespers:

1. Свете тихий Svete tikhiy (Φῶς ἱλαρόν Phōs hilaron),
2. Ныне отпущаеши Nyne otpushchayeshi (Nunc dimittis),
3. Богородице Дево Bogoroditse Devo (Ave Maria),
4. Слава в вышних Богу Slava v vyshnikh Bogu (Matins responses),
5. Благословен еси Blagosloven yesi (Resurrection troparion).