Concert

Rachmaninov: All Night Vigil (Vespers)

Sunday 20 June 2027, 5:00 pm

Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford

For our summer concert, the Oxford Bach Choir performs Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil (also known as Vespers), one of the great masterpieces of unaccompanied choral music.

Drawing on the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church, Rachmaninov created music of extraordinary depth and atmosphere: from hushed, contemplative passages to vast, glowing climaxes that seem to fill the entire space. Written for voices alone, the work showcases the full colour and expressive range of a large choir, including the famously deep bass writing for which Russian choral music is renowned.