For Proms 37 and 38 an all Rachmaninoff(my favorite composer)evening and night of glorious music was performed.
Prom 37 featured the Piano Concerto No. 3, known by pianists as being fiendishly difficult in some passages. Before the concerto began, however, there was an unusual prelude in which the Latvian Radio Choir(the performers in Prom 38 later)entered the hall with chants of the Russian Orthodox liturgy. Following thunderous applause at the conclusion of the concerto, the Rachmaninoff Vocalise was performed as an encore.
After the intermission, which had an interesting discussion about the composer with music samples, the choir again began with Orthodox chants which served as a prelude to the Symphony No. 2, one of the high-water marks in musical romanticism.
For
Prom 38 the Latvian choir performed his All-Night Vigil(just 1 hour!)composed for the Orthodox evening Vespers service. There were many beautiful sections for those who enjoy choral music.
