“People have asked me why the Bach Choir is performing Sergei Rachmaninoff’s ‘All-Night Vigil,’” says Dr. Christopher Jackson, Bach Choir of Bethlehem Artistic Director and Conductor.

“There are some compositional ties between that work and the monumental ‘B Minor Mass’ by Johann Sebastian Bach.

“The movements of the Rachmaninoff are based on orthodox chant, and Bach used chorale tunes.

“In addition, back in 1898 it took the original Bach Choir two years to prepare the ‘B Minor Mass’ and the Rachmaninoff is a similar mountain to climb,” Jackson says.

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem presents “All-Night Vigil,” 4 p.m. March 30, First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem.

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem also performs “All-Night Vigil,” 7:30 p.m. March 29, Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Philadelphia.

Rachmaninoff’s 1915 masterpiece “All-Night Vigil, Op. 37” is edited and engraved by composer Matthew Guard based on Rachmaninoff’s autographed manuscript.

Composed after Rachmaninoff and his family fled Russia because of the Bolshevik Revolution, the work is an expression of the composer’s deep religious faith and fond childhood memories of the sound of church bells and choral chanting.

The a cappella choral composition comprises 15 movements of texts taken from the Russian Orthodox Church all-night vigil ceremony. Movements are written in “Church Slavonic,” used in the Eastern Orthodox Church “Znamenny,” considered the oldest form of Russian church music, and in “Kyiv Chant,” used in the Russian Orthodox and Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

To ensure correct pronunciation and diction, Bach Choir members rehearsed with Fotina Naumenko, a Grammy-nominated professional soprano and Russian diction expert.

In addition, Jackson knows the work quite well, having performed it in recent years with Skylark Vocal Ensemble directed by Matthew Guard.

Joining the Bach Choir for the concert are members of the Westminster Choir and soloists mezzo-soprano Luthien Brackett, tenor Steven Brennfleck and basso profundo Glenn Miller.

Brackett received an undergraduate degree from Westminster Choir College and completed post-graduate studies at the University of York, England. Her recording of “All-Night Vigil” with the Clarion Choir was nominated for a 2024 Grammy Award.

Brennfleck received a terminal degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to his studies, he was Director of Choral Activities and Liturgical Music at DeSales University.

Miller specializes in Russian liturgical choral repertoire. His career began with singing and recording Rachmaninoff’s “All-Night Vigil” in 1989 as a member of the Robert Shaw Festival Singers, and has performed the work more than 100 times and made five recordings of the work.

“With nearly an hour of a cappella music that divides at some points into 12 parts, I thought this was an appropriate musical and spiritual challenge for the Bach Choir to take on,” says Jackson, adding, “This seemed like a natural mountain for us to climb and we’re really loving it.”

Bach Choir of Bethlehem, “All-Night Vigil,” 4 p.m. March 30, First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, 2344 Center St., Bethlehem. Tickets: Bach Choir office, 440 Heckewelder Place, Bethlehem; office@bach.org; 610-866-4382, ext. 110, 115; https://bach.org/tickets/

Bach Choir of Bethlehem, “All-Night Vigil,” 7:30 p.m. March 29, Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, 18th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia. Tickets: 215-561-1313; https://cathedralphila.org/

“Classical View” is a column about classical music concerts, conductors and performers. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com