This Sunday at the 11am service, the combined choirs of Clarendon UMC and First Presbyterian presents the Requiem Mass by Gabriel Fauré. This is one of the most beloved of the many outstanding versions created by leading composers of the 19th and 20th centuries. The combined choirs and soloist will be supported by an orchestra consisting of harp, organ and strings, making this a special treat! This presentation will truly inspire and lift heavenward the spirits of those in attendance.
Gabriel Urbain Fauré (12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist, and teacher. He was the foremost French composer of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers. His harmonic and melodic language affected how harmony was later taught. Gabriel Fauré is regarded as the master of the French art song, or mélodie. His works ranged from an early romantic style, when in his early years he emulated the style of Mendelssohn and others, to late 19th century Romantic, and finally to a 20th century aesthetic. His work was based on a strong understanding of harmonic structures which he received at the École Niedermeyer from his harmony teacher Gustave Lefévre, who wrote the book Traité d’harmonie (Paris, 1889). In this book he sets forth a harmonic theory which differs significantly from the classical theory of Jean-Philippe Rameau in that seventh and ninth chords are no longer considered dissonant. In addition, Fauré’s understanding of the church modes can be seen in various modal passages in his works, especially in his melodies. In contrast with his harmonic and melodic style, which pushed the bounds for his time, Fauré’s rhythmic motives tended to be subtle and repetitve, with little to break the flow of the line, although he did utilize subtle large scale syncopations, similar to those found in Brahms’ works. Aaron Copland referred to him as the ‘French Brahms’.
Fauré was a prolific composer, and among the most noteworthy of his works are his Requiem, the opera Penelope, the orchestral suite Masques et Bergamasques (based on music for a dramatic entertainment, or divertissement comique), and music for Pelléas et Mélisande. He also wrote chamber music; his two piano quartets are particularly well known. Other chamber music includes two piano quintets, two cello sonatas, two violin sonatas, and a number of piano pieces including the Nocturnes. TheRequiem, Op. 48, was not composed to the memory of a specific person but, in Fauré’s words, “for the pleasure of it”. It has been described as “a lullaby of death”. In setting his requiem, he left out the Dies irae, though the reference to the day of judgment appears in the Libera me, which he added to the normal requiem mass. Several slightly different versions of the Requiem exist, and these have given rise to a number of different recordings. Personal grief may have influenced the composition as it was started after the death of his father, and before it was completed, his mother died as well.