To Thee, the Victorious Leader

In this closing hymn from the Orthodox All-Night Vigil the Virgin Mary is seen as a victorious military commander leading the host of Christians into battle against enemies, both physical and spiritual. In his musical setting Chesnokov, however, chooses to praise the Virgin Mary not with fanfare and “fireworks,” as do some composers, but with heartfelt and stately serenity. (This edition is an arrangement of Chesnokov’s original setting, which is scored for mixed chorus: cat. No. Cn267)