Join us Saturday, April 13, 2024 for Requiem and Royalty
John Rutter’s Requiem, completed in 1985, does not adhere strictly to the
conventional Catholic liturgy, but combines texts from the Requiem Mass and
the Book of Common Prayer. This is by no means unusual; Fauré, Brahms and
Duruflé all followed their own individual preferences when selecting appropriate
verses to set.
The first movement comprises the Requiem Aeternam and Kyrie Eleison. This is
followed by a setting of Psalm 130, ‘Out of the deep have I called unto thee O
Lord’ which begins darkly with an unaccompanied cello solo in C minor, later
giving way to a more positive C major at the words ‘for with the Lord there is
mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption’.
As with the Requiems of both Fauré and Duruflé, the Pie Jesu focuses on the soprano soloist, though in this case with the addition of a subdued choral commentary. The Sanctus and Benedictus are both followed by an exhilarating Hosanna. In the Agnus Dei, the
Latin text alternates with verses from the Burial Sentences, taken from the 1662
Book of Common Prayer. At this point Rutter inserts his superb setting of the
23rd Psalm, notable for its plaintive oboe solo, delicate orchestration and
sensitivity to the text. This exquisite and moving piece, though composed some
seven years earlier for Mel Olson’s First United Methodist Church Choir in
Omaha, was surely destined for this context, encapsulating as it does the work’s
message of reassurance.
The last movement opens with another verse from the Burial Service, sung by the soprano soloist, which leads seamlessly into the Lux Aeterna, finally returning to the opening Requiem Aeterna theme for the peaceful conclusion.
The Requiem was first performed in its entirety on 13 October 1985 at the United
Methodist Church, Dallas, Texas, conducted by the composer. Since then it has
become a firm favorite with choirs and audiences the world over. Though it
necessarily has its dark moments, Rutter’s Requiem is unmistakably optimistic in
its message of hope and comfort, expressed through the beauty of the chosen
texts and Rutter’s uplifting music. It is not entirely surprising that after the tragic
events of 9/11, it was this setting of the Requiem that was the preferred choice of
music at the many memorial services which followed across the USA.
-- John Bawden