The theme of the Long Night of Museums at the Lutheran Church of Vyborg, Leningrad Oblast, on May 21, 2022 was Czar Peter the Great (1672—1725), an older contemporary of J. S. Bach (1685-1750).
“It is known that sometimes Peter visited Lutheran churches on worship days and even sang spiritual songs there,” — Olga Kurilo, Lyuterane v Rossii, XVI-XX vv. (“Lutherans in Russia, 16–20 c.”)
The church offered its visitors an excursion program every half-hour from 8 pm to 23 pm.
The program featured the performance of a “vivat canticle” (a panegyrical song genre in the time of Peter the Great) written in 1709; a narrative about the church and its organ with a demonstration of its sounds; and the performance of two chorale preludes of J. S. Bach. Before and after the excursions, visitors could see info stands about the history of the Vyborg church and its organ, the Finnish Lutheran reformer Mikael Agricola, J. S. Bach, Lutheran princesses who became Russian empresses, and Russian Lutherans in general.
In the afternoon before the excursions, the church’s Mikael Agricola Choir directed by Darya Shkurlyatyeva performed an “excursion recital”—their first public performance of Luther’s chorales “The Ten Commandments” and “Our Father” to the accompaniment of the organ, a kantele, a Celtic harp, recorders, and hand bells. After the recital, anyone interested could also practice playing a psalmodicon.
Congratulations to the choir on the premiere and many thanks to all the Museum Night visitors!
Many thanks to altar server Daniil Andreyev for his assistance and photo gallery!
