The Santa Fe Desert Chorale celebrated its 44th year with compelling performances at its annual summer festival. Consisting of 24 professional singers led by artistic director Joshua Habermann, the ensemble has established itself as one of the premier choirs in the nation and is one of the few that excels in a variety of styles, extending from the Renaissance period up through the present day.

Augmented by eight singers, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale created a sonic paradise at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi on July 30 with a stellar account of Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil. The ensemble’s superbly tailored dynamics and diction produced an emotional triumph that connected extremely well with the packed church, which seats 800.

Rachmaninoff’s choral masterpiece takes a little over an hour to sing, but the Desert Chorale’s exceptional delivery seemed to make time fly by. The artistic and emotional level was heavenly. The ensemble blend allowed one to hear all sections, and tenor John Ramseyer handled the solos superbly with a clarion voice that could cut through the choir.

Overall, the sound of the ensemble was creamy smooth and warm but had plenty of verve. The crescendos were magnificent and expansive. It seemed that there would be a lot of reverberation in the large nave of the Basilica, but there was none. Also delicious to the ear were enticing decrescendos that drew concertgoers into contemplative moments.