Hyperion Records | Gretchaninov: Vespers

CDA67080
Archive Service Only

Buy? £13.99 (Archive Service)

Recording details: November 1998
Temple Church, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Chris Hazell
Engineered by Simon Eadon
Release date: June 1999
Total duration: 62 minutes 33 seconds

'Numerous delights. The performance by the Holst Singers is stunningly good. This serene, delectable music is irresistible and so is its performance' (Choir & Organ)

'This recording brings a sense of deep spiritual peace and will especially

appeal to those who already know the beauties of the Russian liturgical

tradition' (Contemporary Review)

'Great blocks of beautifully contructed sound are stunning in their apparent simplicity' (The Scotsman)

'Two highly attractive and unstuffy Russian liturgical works in attractive performances' (Classic CD)

'Really something of a triumph' (The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs)

Alexander Gretchaninov (1864-1956)

Vespers

Holst Singers, Stephen Layton (conductor)

		Strastnaya Sed'mitsa, Op 58
1		No 6: Nïne silï nebesnïya 'Now the powers of heaven' [5'20]
2		No 3: Vo tsartvii Tvoyem 'In thy kingdom' [7'29] with James Bowman (countertenor)
3		Nïne otpushchayeshï 'Lord, now lettest thou thy servant', Op 34 No 1 [2'32]
		Vsenoshchnoye bdeniye 'All-Night Vigil', Op 59
4		Movement 01: Blagoslovi, dushe moya 'Bless the Lord, O my soul' [6'15]
5		Movement 02: Blazhen muzh 'Blessed is the man' [5'16]
6		Movement 03: Svete tihiy 'Gladsome light' [3'34]
7		Movement 04: Bogoroditse Devo 'Rejoice, O virgin' [1'20]
8		Movement 05: Hvalite imia Ghospodne 'Praise the name of the Lord' [6'49]
9		Movement 06: Blagosloven yesi, Ghospodi 'Blessed art thou, O Lord' [5'25]
10		Movement 07: Ot yunosti moyeya 'From my youth' [3'48]
11		Movement 08: Voskreseniye Hristovo videvshe 'Having beheld the resurrection of Christ' [3'41]
12		Movement 09: Slava v vïshnih Bogu 'Glory be to God' [9'10]
13		Movement 10: Vzbrannoy voyevode 'To thee, victorious leader' [1'54]

Gretchaninov was initially taught by Anton Arensky in Moscow, and then later, in 1890, he went to St Petersburg to study with Rimsky-Korsakov. It was he who influenced his style and helped him launch his professional career. After the Revolution, Gretchaninov became increasingly uneasy in Soviet Russia, and in 1925 left forever. In 1946 he took American citizenship.

An unusually versatile and prolific composer, he wrote operas, symphonies, chamber music, over 250 songs, and a great deal of music for children. He has been described as the most representative composer of his generation writing for the Orthodox service.

Vespers is part of the All-Night Vigil service, and Gretchaninov's setting was composed, premiered, and published in 1912. This precedes Rachmaninov's setting by three years. It appears to have lain dormant for some eighty years until it was revived in America for its first performance of modern times in 1995.