Requiem

[pjme]

A late Romantic rarity from Belgium: Peter Benoit's Requiem ( 1863).

Philippe Herreweghe gives a subtle account:

https://www.youtube.com/v/2KCRKgtNJzU

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Benoit

The Musical World, vol. 41/40 (October 3, 1863): 637.

BRUSSELS.– On Wednesday, the 23rd inst., at the funeral service
celebrated in the Cathedral of St. Gudule, in memory of those persons
who died for the national independence of Belgium, in 1830, the fourth
part of M. Pierre Benoît's Quadrilogie religieuse was performed. We
have already recorded the great success of the first three parts, and the
marked progress evident between each of them. The "Requiem" we
heard on Wednesday completes in the most happy manner the Quadrilogie,
and the effect was greater than that of any of M. Benoit's previous
compositions. We will not attempt, after a single hearing, to analyse
all the numerous details of this masterly production. We will merely
state that it is distinguished for the grace and elevation of its melodic
ideas, the richness of the instrumentation, the truly religious breadth
of its style, and a certain harmonic audacity, possessing the best possible
justification – success. The pieces which produced the deepest impression
were the "Dies lrae" and the "Agnus Dei." Their greatest
merit in our opinion is, not to speak of the melodic and instrumental
excellence they reveal, their essentially religious character, and the
feeling of profound sadness they leave upon the mind. What greater
praise can be awarded to a funeral service? We learn with pleasure
that M. Benoît  is getting up a grand concert at which the most striking
pieces in his Quadrilogie will be performed. This concert will take
place about the end of October, and similar ones will be organised in
the principal towns of Belgium. M. Benoît has, moreover, conceived
the idea of a grand theatrical work, or dramatic trilogy, in three
operas, to be entitled respectively, Ambiorix. Thierry d'Alsace, and
Guillaume le Taciturne. The reader will perceive that M. Benoît has
chosen three grand figures in our history, personifying three grand
epochs: that of the struggle of our ancestors against the domination of
the Romans, that of the enfranchisement of the "Communes." and,
lastly, that of the resistance of the United Provinces to the religious
despotism of Philip II.– L'Etoile Belge.

[San Antone]

May I assume an organ, 2 violins and a bass for accompaniment? Possibly a theorbo or archlute?  I see Campra is French and falls between Lully and Rameau. The sacred music of that place and time are new to me, making the temptation that much greater.

I've excerpted a quote from  the Music-Web International review of the recording:

The Laudantes Consort have gone to some trouble to play Campra's piece at the correct pitch and with suitable instruments of the period. They have also had to consider issues of ornamentation and style. But regarding the choir they are still using women on the top two lines.

Read more: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/Sept08/campra_cyp1651.htm#ixzz3p2h81L00

[Gurn Blanston]

I've excerpted a quote from  the Music-Web International review of the recording:

The Laudantes Consort have gone to some trouble to play Campra's piece at the correct pitch and with suitable instruments of the period. They have also had to consider issues of ornamentation and style. But regarding the choir they are still using women on the top two lines.

Read more: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/Sept08/campra_cyp1651.htm#ixzz3p2h81L00

Thanks for that info. I certainly don't feel badly gettnig another copy of the M. Haydn either, it is an excellent work.

[ritter]

Just ordered this; yet another one to add to the 20th century requiems--this one pre-avantgarde...

[asin]B0145YQEP6[/asin]

GMGer pjme gave us a splendid account of te world première 6 years ago now:

I was in Venice/Italy last week and purely by chance discovered that La Fenice was to open its symphonic season with the worldpremiere performance of Bruno Maderna's ( early) Requiem. (Maderna °1920)
The work was thought to be lost, but in 2006 was discovered by Italian musicologist Veniero Rizzardi in New York University Library (Purchase College). Apparently, Maderna gave the score to Virgil Thomson who tried to get the work performed. Nothing came of it and the requiem was largely forgotten.
It is pre-dodecafonic Maderna and echoes of Stravinsky and Hindemith can be detected - because of the scoring ( large string orchestra, no woodwinds, full brass,including 8 horns, and three pianos+ percussion), I was also reminded of Dallapiccola's Canti di prigionia( 1938-1941) or Petrassi's Coro di morti(1941)  Still, it has a soundworld of its own and veers from the very dramatic ( Verdi-an bass drum!) to the gently angelic ( tinkling pianos in the Agnus Dei!).
The work opens very effectively with the chorus a Capella. Tenor and bass soloists deal with the more terrible texts, soprano and mezzo join the ensemble only in the second half for Agnus dei and Benedictus.
La fenice had no special information leaflet on the event ( I did not buy the 18€ complete season booklet), nor did they explain why Riccardo Chailley wasn't able to conduct. Anyway, maestro Andrea Molino did a splendid job. The soloists where not topnotch : Carmela Remigio, soprano, Veronica Simeoni, mezzo ( the best of the 4), tenor Mario Zeffiri ( a weak, shrill voice) and bass Simone Alberghini. La Fenice chorus & orchestra performed well.

So, a very nice and exciting addition to a brief vacation in La serenissima. Let's hope Chailley will record it ( dur. ca 60 mins.) with better soloists....

P.

Cheers, Peter! 

[pjme]

De rien! 

Wish I was back in Venice...It was a great experience then and am happy to see the work recorded.

I will report later on the Artyomov - extatic sopranos, eerie piano sounds and all kinds of bells, thundering organ and , yes, bass drum... and one magic moment!

Peter

[Ten thumbs]

Some poetry I've just discovered but with musical relevance, so I'm posting it here.

Mozart's Requiem.

" Of its own beauty is the mind diseased,
And fevers into false creation."  Childe Harold.

    A Requiem ! — and for whom?
    For Beauty in her bloom ?
For Valour fall'n? — a broken Rose or Sword?
    A dirge for King or Chief,
    With pomp of stately grief,
Banner, and torch, and waving plume deplored ?

    Not so — it is not so !
    The warning voice I know,
From other worlds a strange mysterious tone ;
    A solemn funeral air
    It call'd me to prepare,
And my heart answer'd secretly — My own !

    One more then— one more strain,
    In links of joy and pain
Mighty the troubled spirit to enthral !
    And let me breathe my dower
    Of passion and of power,
Full into that deep lay — the last of all !

    The last ! — And I must go
    From this bright world below,
This realm of sunshine, ringing with sweet sound !
    Must leave its festive skies,
    With all their melodies,
That ever in my breast glad echoes found !

    Yet have I known it long—
    Too restless and too strong
Within this clay hath been th' o'ermastering flame;
    Swift thoughts that came and went,
    Like torrents o'er me sent,
Have shaken, as a reed, my thrilling frame.

    Like perfumes on the wind,
    Which none may stay or bind,
The Beautiful comes floating through my soul ;
    I strive with yearnings vain
    The spirit to detain
Of the deep harmonies that past me roll.

    Therefore disturbing dreams
    Trouble the hidden streams
And springs of music, that o'erflow my breast;
    Something, far more divine
    Than may on earth be mine,
Haunts my worn heart, and will not let me rest.

    Shall I then fear the tone
    That breathes from worlds unknown ?—
Surely these feverish aspirations there
    Will grasp their full desire,
    And this unsettled fire
Burn calmly, brightly, in immortal air.

    One more then — one more strain,
    To earthly joy and pain
A rich, and deep, and passionate farewell !
    I pour each solemn thought
    With fear, hope, trembling fraught,
Into the notes that o'er my dust shall swell.

Felicia Hemans, 1828

[Mirror Image]

Here's a vote for Delius' Requiem. A work that has seldom been performed/recorded and is dedicated to the victims of WWI.

https://www.youtube.com/v/5EmvaB79vYk

[San Antone]

Giovanni Sgambati : Italian pianist and composer



His most extensive work, a Requiem Mass, was performed in Rome 1901. His many pianoforte works have won permanent success. Sgambati was also active in the contemporary musical scene as a promoter of the music of others. He conducted the Italian premieres of Beethoven's third and of seventh symphonies (in 1867 and 1870 respectively). He also conducted the Italian premieres of more recent works such as Liszt's Dante Symphony and Christus oratorio.

[San Antone]

Edison Denisov : won world acclaim while he was denounced by Soviet authorities at home



HIs Requiem, scored for soprano, tenor, chorus, and orchestra, sets poems by Francisco Tanzer and liturgical texts, is in five movements.

[San Antone]

Bernat Vivancos : a search for a spirituality



Requiem was released by Neu Records in September 2015.

[San Antone]

Jeff Myers : Requiem Aeternam



Jeff Myers's "Requiem Aeternam," performed by the JACK Quartet and mezzo-soprano Rachel Calloway, revealed a gorgeously multi-colored composition set to Filipino, Italian, German and English texts from poets and the Christian mass for the dead. Myers's use of pianissimo, breath and silence within the rich kaleidoscope of vocalism and subtle string writing produced a stunning work that deserves multiple hearings.