By Sam Miller | September 1, 2026

Composed in 1915, this a cappella (only with voices) work is considered by some to be his greatest composition. “Vespers” is composed of liturgical prayers taken directly from Eastern Orthodox tradition. In fact, the verses sung are not in standard Russian, but instead in “Church Slavonic,” which is the “liturgical language for all non-Greek [Orthodox] churches” (“What to Listen For”). Rachmaninoff spent considerable time and effort studying the Orthodox liturgical form, and incorporated his knowledge into building a masterpiece. However, it was not simply the use of liturgical form that has helped “Vespers” stand the test of time, but instead the composer’s integration of romanticism and lyrical creativity that pushed the boundaries of what typical “liturgical” choral music could be. 

Composed in 1839, Mendelssohn’s brilliant first piano trio is one of the composers most well known chamber compositions. Mendelssohn unfortunately passed away at the young age of 38; nonetheless, he lived a remarkably happy life, especially by composer standards. He was happily married, a bona fide genius, a brilliant composer/conductor, a master chess player, a social icon in Germany, and, not to mention, rather handsome. Some of his most famous works include the Midsummer Night’s Dream score, the Violin Concerto in E-Minor (a favorite among violinists), as well as numerous other choral and chamber works. With all of this in mind, it is no wonder that he is considered by many to be the “Mozart of the 19th century”(Glass). The example of genius I have for you today is a gorgeous piano trio that Mendelssohn wrote less than 10 years before his death. 

Samuel “Sam” Miller is a 12th grade student at Gonzaga Preparatory school who writes and distributes a weekly classical music blog that shares different classical songs and explores their background with his teachers and peers. He is an avid violinist studying under Mateusz Wolski, and an enthusiastic member of the Spokane Youth Symphony. Samuel started this project to pursue and share his passion for classical music with others. In his free time, Sam enjoys practicing violin, going to symphony concerts, playing tennis, hanging out with friends, video games, and spending time with his family.