Requiem

No other musical work has ever had such a dark legacy, fuelled by two centuries of legends. The circumstances surrounding the composition of the Requiem are shrouded in romantic mystery. We now know that the work was commissioned by Count Walsegg, a great music lover, who intended to hold a requiem mass in honour of his deceased wife. We also know that the composition process was interrupted when the musician died, probably in early 1791, and that it was completed by his students Eybler and then Süssmayer. What makes this concert particularly interesting is the choice of the piece Sept Répons des ténèbres by Poulenc in the first half. Poulenc never lost sight of his faith during his lifetime or in his compositions. Although we are familiar with his Stabat, Salve Regina, Litanies à la Vierge, and of course his Dialogues des Carmélites, the Sept Répons, which is rarely performed on the concert stage, is worthy of a place in his sacred pantheon and many subtle performance nuances are required to convey the infinite sadness which permeates the work.

Production  Les Grandes Voix