Requiem (Fauré)

The Requiem, Op 48 by Gabriel Fauré is a composition for soprano and baritone soloists, four -to six- part choir and orchestra.

Fauré completed the composition of his Requiem - his only major work with a religious text as a basis - 1887 at the age of 42 years. He wrote the work between his father's death (1885 ) and his mother (1887 ). It was first performed on 16 January 1888 in the Paris La Madeleine to the funeral of a famous Parisian architect. The choir included, with only about 30 singers (20-25 boys 8-10 and men), the instrumental band consisted only of divided violas, cellos, double bass, solo violin, harp, timpani and organ. After the premiere asked the vicar of the Madeleine, by whom the work was. Fauré composed himself courage and confessed that it was from him. Then replied the vicar, he should let the, there would be plenty of literature, so that you do not need his work.

Over the following years, Fauré created a larger occupied second version, in which, inter alia, Blowers are taken into account. Its premiere took place in 1900 at the Paris World's Fair held in front of about 5,000 listeners. The Requiem was also given in Faure's funeral ( 1924).

A performance lasts about 35 minutes. The full sequence is:

• Introit: Requiem aeternam and Kyrie ( D minor ) ( chorus)
• Offertory: Domine Jesu Christe ( B minor ) ( solo baritone and chorus)
• Sanctus ( E flat major ) ( chorus)
• Pie Jesu ( B flat major ) ( solo soprano )
• Agnus Dei ( F major ) ( chorus)
• Responsory: Libera me ( D minor ) ( solo baritone and chorus)
• In paradisum ( D major ) ( Choir).

Fauré's Requiem differs in several respects from the traditional requiem mass. In contrast to the traditional end of the Mass, and in particular to compositions by Hector Berlioz and Giuseppe Verdi, Fauré omitted alarmist view of the Dies irae and is limited to the setting of the last verse, the Pie Jesu. However, he added the added In paradisum from the funeral, which is traditionally the cemetery sounds when the transfer of the body of the church. Overall, Fauré was a concern to draw a peaceful image of death. In many passages glide minor sounds of the choir and orchestra in atmospheric major chords and let the comforting glimpse of heaven.

Structure

The following table shows the structure of the composition in their sentences and paragraphs, especially the voices, key, time signature and tempo marking. The voices are abbreviated, S for soprano, A for Alt, T for Tenor, B for bass. The composer divides the choir in up to six voices, SATTBB, but often is a unison, sometimes for a choir voice, sometimes for several.