Vespers, Op. 37: Praise the Name of the Lord

Sergei Rachmaninoff
Robert Shaw Festival Singers

The entire piece is very legato and connected, the cadences are all cinnected, like the song is an entire phrase. The note intervals are very close together, another one of the things gives it a legato and soothing sound. It ends with a Plagal cadence. Most places where cadence would be expected are HC. Much of the solfege stays within do-sol range, with an emphasis on re. There is a constant sustaining of notes, another aspect that gives it the legato mood. The first part of the phrase is so connected that the four phrases in it could be regarded a one. If they are not, then it would be two contrasting periods, both with a HC the PAC. The piece establishes a simple triple meter time signature, usually by landing one on do sustained, and an occastional syncopation on two and three, just eighth quarter eighth, which emphasizes the next one. The piece has two seperate parts two it, a higher part, and a full voice, choir part. The upper voices are either sustaining while the lower voices are moving, or the lower voices are sustaining while the higher voices are moving. Because of this, whenever the voices come together it builds up very successfully. Also, when the voices come together it could also signal the beginning of a new phrase. Altogether, there were several HC then PAC throughout the piece, and it gave it a feeling of completness. The phrases were also very well rounded. I loved the syncopated rhythms. Overall, I really liked the piece, it was very beautiful, and there were several effective dynamic contrasts.