A PERFORMANCE of Rachmaninov’s Vespers by Ex Cathedra, conducted by Jeffrey Skidmore, was always going to be a musical treat, and indeed it was.

Right from the opening Greek Orthodox Priidite, Poklonimsya, the choir were in top form; it wasn’t just a question of balance and projection but the vocal sound had a seductive spiritual authority and the movement had a glorious shape.

What immediately strikes the listener about the Vespers is the lack of contrapuntal dialogue between the voices, and yet this disciplined writing reinforced the purity of form. The singers clearly relished the gorgeous tonal melodies that frequently divided to produce rich, resonant textures – none more so than in the ninth Blagosloven esi, Gospodi. This drew a remarkably powerful and persuasive account from the choir in what is probably the dramatic focal point of the work.

The alto soloist in Blagoslovi, Dushe Moya was simply captivating; I just loved the velvety quality of tone as the choir provided a musical cushion, the gentlest of support. The tenor soloist also delivered a stunning solo in the fifth movement, Nyne Otpushchayeshi.

It is the end of this movement, however, that always has the hairs on the back of one’s neck standing to attention as the basso profundos, always gently resonating somewhere in the bowels of this great work, weave their way down to the very low B flat.

Jeffrey Skidmore drew a dramatic and stunning conclusion to the work in the closing Velichit dusha moya Gospoda.