Duruflé: Requiem
NDR Vokalensemble / Thomas Cornelius / Klaas Stok – Hamburg International Music Festival
Not many works of the 20th century are as commonplace on concert programmes today as the music of Maurice Duruflé, who died in 1986. His sacred vocal music in particular enjoys enduring popularity, no doubt due to its catchy tonal language.
Duruflé had little interest in breaking with tradition; in his Requiem of 1947, he explored the model of Gabriel Fauré, two generations his senior, and gave free rein to his enthusiasm for Gregorian chant. Nevertheless, the work is not backward-looking: in contrast to the operatic settings of the requiem mass in the 19th century, Duruflé focussed less on the agony of the Last Judgement and more on redemption in the afterlife.
The second of three versions of the Requiem will be performed at the Kulturkirche Altona. Duruflé – probably surprised himself by the great success of his work – transferred the lavish orchestration to the organ soon after the premiere.
Performers
NDR Vokalensemble
Thomas Emanuel Cornelius organ
director Klaas Stok
Programme
Marcel Dupré
O salutaris / aus: Quatre Motets op. 9
Maurice Duruflé
Quatre motets sur des thèmes grégoriens op. 10
Requiem, Op. 9
Festival
Hamburg International Music Festival