In the final concert of its 25th season, the Capitol Hill Chorale harkens back to its first season, when it performed the North-American premiere of Alexander Gretchaninoff’s All Night Vigil, Op 59. That inaugural season established the Chorale’s interest in liturgical music from the Orthodox tradition of Russia, Georgia, Serbia, and other countries, and it seems only fitting to pay homage to its role in shaping the Chorale’s history. In this concert, the Chorale performs another major Gretchaninoff work for a cappella chorus: Passion Week, Op. 58, the magnificent and unique choral cycles from the Orthodox Holy Week services.
The Chorale discovered its love of performing Orthodox liturgical with the North American premier of Gretchaninoff’s All-Night Vigil, Op. 59. Twenty-five years later, the Chorale returns to Gretchaninoff for performances of Passion Week, the magnificent and unique chorale cycles from the Orthodox Holy Week services. Musica Russica describes this work as standing next to Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil in scope and musical richness.
