A shorter vigil

It should be heard in an all-night vigil while standing.  We were luckier than that.  This was Rachmaninov All-night vigil, loosely called Vespers from the main part of the work.  Actually Vespers makes up movements 1-6 of 15 with Matins 7-11, Lauds 12 and Prime 13-15 and this whole would be heard in the traditional Orthodox service from sunset finishing in the morning of the next day.  Oriana Chorale learnt and sang the Russian text a capella in the ANZAC Memorial Chapel at Duntroon, no less, under Dan Walker with soloists Maartje Seventer, Andrei Laptev and Andrew Fysh.   It was a different thing.  I had just heard complex modern harmonies with Kompactus.  This was much denser and darker, partly from the larger choir, but I guess also from many parts.  It's also SATB but each section can be split into 2 or 3 parts through the work.  It's heavier, more serious perhaps, certainly more religious.  Sometimes an introductory solo to start a movement (what is this called?) or a quiet vocal tone after a tuning fork to a skull.  After hearing this and Kompactus in one week, I remain in awe of our local choral scene.

Oriana Chorale performed Rachmaninov All-night vigil at the Anzac Memorial Chapel at Duntroon under Dan Walker (musical director) with soloists Maartje Sevenster (alto), Andrei Laptev (tenor) and Andrew Fysh (bass).