Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, Op. 31 by Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff, Nuo (2021/2021), Režisierius Alexey Veiro,, Dirigentas Yulia Senyukova, Novaya Opera Theatre, Moscow, Russia

“... There is a region in the world where they patiently but persistently wait for Rachmaninov’s inspirations ,” is a dedication inscription of the composer Alexander Kastalsky to Sergei Rachmaninov on the notes of the kontakion “May the saints rest in peace” and the ikos “One Himself.” Kastalsky presented these notes to Rachmaninov on the eve of his first author's concert. Rachmaninov admired the choral compositions of Kastalsky (he called him "Rimsky-Korsakov of Russian choral music"). Approximately seven years after the described episode (1910), Rachmaninov created the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. The work was premiered in December 1910 in Moscow by the Synodal Choir under the direction of Nikolai Danilin. It was in the calculation of the unique voices and performance capabilities of this team that the composition was created. In general, the premiere was successful, but there were also criticisms. Rachmaninov was reproached for excessive stylistic freedom, "opera", unusual sound effects, and departure from the church canon. That is why Rachmaninov's Liturgy was rarely performed even in concert halls. It is quite obvious that the composer conceived the composition as a single whole and strove to give it a concert character. But more than a century later, something else is also clear: Rachmaninov's Liturgy addresses the deep foundations of Russian sacred music.