La Tempête Nocturne

A stripped-down version of Rachmaninov, without artifice, without piano or orchestra. A Rachmaninov filled with Russian folk tradition, faith and fervour.

Sergei Rachmaninov's Vespers are the moving account of a man deeply imbued with a millennial Orthodox tradition. Written in 1915 in less than two weeks, they were then created in the middle of the Great War, on March 10, 1915 in Moscow, before finally becoming banned by the Soviet regime in 1917.

The idea was to recreate an imaginary ritual, mixing Rachmaninov's Vespers with Byzantine Orthodox chants, and also extending to the total use of space by the singers, thus offering an intense journey into one of the greatest works of vocal art.

Simon-Pierre Bestion, conductor of the ensemble and creator of this programme, interrogates the musical material as he usually does, and delivers it in an unexpected yet suprisingly expressive way. The artists deliver a precious journey, a ritual, tailoring music and mind, in a true liturgy of sound that charms the audience..

Joël Heuillon, Olyrix