An important part of the nfm choirs discography is a series of recordings with paul mccreesh released on his winged lion label and awarded prestigious awards. L ike paul mccreesh and the gabrieli consort s recording of berliozs grande messe des morts, which appeared two years ago, this studio version of war requiem. This new recording of britten s war requiem is the latest of paul mccreeshs recordings of largescale oratorios on the winged lion label. The gabrieli consort really pulls out all of the stops for this piece. Full sung texts are provided, whereas testaments are available only online in pdf format. In response britten wrote the war requiem,considered by many to be a masterwork of the genre, a massive six movement score for soprano, tenor and baritone soloists, chorus and a boys choir with a full orchestra, a chamber orchestra and organ with the forces divided into three distinct groups. Britten s and owens pacifist beliefs are compared, and the chronology of the compositional process unraveled from documentary and manuscript sources. War requiem 1962 mccreesh, gritton, ainsley, maltman. Over thirty years, the ensembles repertoire has expanded beyond any expectation, but mccreeshs everquestioning spirit. Benjamin britten war requiem brittenpears foundation. Fifty years to the day after its premiere, andris nelsons celebrated with his orchestra, the city of birmingham symphony orchestra which also gave that first performance, benjamin brittens war requiem through a special anniversary performance given at coventry cathedral, the site of its first performance, starring erin wall, mark padmore and hanno mullerbrachmann.
The dvd is sufficiently clear black and white and the sound is stereo, unexpectedly focused and powerful given the state of television. Chandos records is one of the worlds premier classical music record companies, best known for its ground breaking search for neglected musical gems. In january 20, gabrieli assembled a cast of over 300 musicians to make a centenary recording of brittens war requiem. These three new issues all boast topdrawer soloists, wellprepared choirs and dynamic orchestras. Very often in the war requiem, britten s music follows the text quite literally when instruments are referred to in the poetry, they are heard in the music, and onomatopoeic words are illustrated musically. Also taking part were members of the gabrieli young singers scheme, the wroclaw philharmonic choir, and soloists susan gritton, john mark ainsley and christopher maltman. The real star of the show is the requiem performed with a string consort with special tuning. With flawless sound and a wide dynamic range, this is one of the finest and most movingly shaped accounts of the war requiem in many years, benefiting hugely from pappanos innate sense for dramatic pacing.
War requiem 1962 mccreesh, gritton, ainsley, maltman, gabrieli consort, benjamin britten. These performances are made possible in part by the generous support of the presser foundation and by. Musicians from across the generations and across the continent included the wroclaw philharmonic choir, gabrieli young singers scheme, trebles of new college choir, oxford, soloists susan gritton, john mark ainsley and christopher maltman alongside gabrieli. He debuts with opera memphis in lee hoibys this is the rill speaking this spring. Choral, opera, ballet, orchestral, chamber, piano, strings, concert and brass band music repertoire. Brittens work is by far the most recent score he has recorded with his gabrieli forces. Gabrieli s latest recording, haydn the seasons 1801, is released on 24 march 2017.
Sep 22, 2011 stravinsky sneered but the public loved it, and, nearly 50 years on, britten s war requiem has lost none of its power to move us, writes ian bostridge. The war requiem was performed for the consecration of the new coventry cathedral, which was built after the original fourteenthcentury structure was destroyed. Liebeslieder waltzer at twickenham music festival, brittens war requiem at lawrence conservatory and as baritone soloist in performances of mozart, beethoven and bach with the bach festival society of winter park. The decision to intersperse the text of the requiem with poems by wilfred owen, who was killed in action one week before the end of world war i, was made soon after and they determined the character of the war requiem, whose first performance took place on 30 may 1962.
Following their acclaimed recordings of berliozs grande messe des morts and mendelssohns elijah, paul mccreesh has once again assembled the mass. To our sorrow, its message is as timely now as ever. Noseda marshalled the finest war requiem that i have heard. For more than 35 years paul mccreesh and gabrieli have surprised, challenged and inspired.
According to the brittenpears foundations war requiem website, dunkerley, one. Gabrieli consort early music ensemble and details of their recordings available to browse and buy. It was a score which immediately captured the public imagination. The recording sessions were the culmination of several months of intensive training during which chorus director greg beardsell worked with choirs individually and enmasse to. In january 20, gabrieli assembled a cast of over 300 musicians to make a centenary recording of britten s war requiem.
Benjamin britten s war requiem britten s response to the collective bloodshed of the 20th century remains as vital and visceral as it was when his requiem. Gabrieli young singers scheme chethams chamber choir, north east youth chorale, taplow youth choir, ulster youth chamber choir. War requiem, op 66 britten from lso0719 hyperion records. Paul mccreesh brings clarity and some superb solo singing to his version, while sir antonio pappano gives us an italian take on the work. The orchestras accompaniment suggests gunfire and the wailing of shells. Since then, the work has remained an incredibly poignant and visceral musical response to the horrors of war, with poetry by wilfred owen killed in action just before the end of world war i interwoven between. Among 20th century british largescale choral works only waltons belshazzars feast had.
Wroclaw philharmonic choir, gabrieli young singers. Susan gritton sop john mark ainsley ten christopher maltman bar wroclaw philharmonic choir. The recording sessions were the culmination of several months of intensive training during which chorus director greg beardsell worked with choirs individually. Learn to sing britten war requiem, rehearse your satb voice part learning your voice part soprano, alto, tenor, bass in britten s war requiem does require you to dedicate some time to ensure you know the notes you are singing so you will sing with confidence and really enjoy fully contributing to your choir. Benjamin britten 191976 war requiem 1962 susan gritton soprano john mark ainsley tenor christopher maltman baritone wroclaw philharmonic choir gabrieli young singers scheme trebles of the choir of new college oxford gabrieli consort and playerspaul mccreesh. Britten war requiem 1962 opera signum chandos records. Benjamin britten, wroclaw philharmonic choir, gabrieli young. War requiem choral score satb choral score benjamin britten. Among this years bigthree milestonebirthday boys, benjamin britten may lag a century behind wagner and verdi, but the recorded attention paid him seems at least on a par. On the title page of the score he quoted wilfred owen. War requiem there is an excellent performance of this work, conducted by the composer, benjamin britten, himself, by the london symphony orchestra chorus, highgate school choir and the bach choir on youtube starting here.
Benjamin britten war requiem lyrics and tracklist genius. Newly released by testament, heres an astoundingly important historic document. You could then convert to a pdf and read it that way, wouldnt have thought that would be illegal. Guest artists 2020 richard butler tenor richard butler made his symphony orchestra debut in 2014 singing handels messiah in a joint concert series with melbourne, adelaide and perth symphony orchestras. The performance is shattering, the sound, surprisingly clear and dynamic. Britten war requiem first performance from coventry. Looking forward to the release of our recording of britten war requiem on 2.
Benjamin britten war requiem listen to the complete work. War requiem also of interest is the dvd of an enthralled erich leinsdorf conducting the war requiem at its premier in the united states with the boston symphony orchestra. Britten s war requiem 20 mccreesh creates a vast crescendo and pauses for an awestruck moment before an incandescent hosanna, with heartstopping results. Stream tracks and playlists from gabrielicp on your desktop or mobile device. The war requiem was performed for the consecration of the new coventry cathedral, which was built after the original fourteenthcentury structure was destroyed in a world war ii bombing raid.
Wroclaw philharmonic choir, gabrieli players, paul mccreesh conductor more. Benjamin britten s war requiem was written to commemorate the consecration of the coventry cathedral after the original fourteenthcentury structure was destroyed in world war ii. Choir of new college oxford, gabrieli consort and playerspaul mccreesh. He brings to all this repertoire the same rigorous scholarship and interpretive flair that defined his early career, confirming his reputation for.
The melos ensemble is conducted by benjamin britten, and the performers include heather harper soprano, peter pears tenor, thomas hemsley baritone and. The gabrielis and wroclaw philharmonic choir are joined by young voices, and it shows in a choral sound of airy, pure brilliance. It featured galina vishnevskaya, dietrich fischerdieskau and peter pears with the london symphony orchestra, the melos ensemble, the bach choir and the highgate school choir, and was conducted by britten himself. Brittens usual technique for joining the latin texts and owens english poetry is through a common image that can be reinforced musically. Continuing his wratislavia cantans oratorio series, paul mccreesh turns to benjamin britten s war requiem for his 20 release on signum classics. As if to underscore the classic status of britten s war requiem, a swarm of new and old recordings of the piece has been released this fall. Benjamin brittens war requiem brittens response to the collective bloodshed of the 20th century remains as vital and visceral as it was when his requiem premiered more than 50. The book examines from various viewpoints britten s war requiem, written in 1962 to celebrate the consecration of the new coventry cathedral and uniting the famous anti war poetry of wilfred owen with the latin requiem mass. Forty years later, war requiem is a classic of the choral repertoire. L ike paul mccreesh and the gabrieli consorts recording of berliozs grande messe des morts, which appeared two years ago, this studio version of war requiem. If youre looking for something new to listen to, watch or play, look no further than the musicmagpie store. This is a very worthy contribution to the britten centenary celebrations and its also a notable addition to the discography of war requiem. The war requiem reflects brittens longheld and committed. Gabrieli also known as the gabrieli consort and players was founded by english conductor and cellist paul mccreesh in 1982, and began its life as an.
May 19, 2015 benjamin britten composed his war requiem in 1961 for the consecration of st. A number of new releases of war requiem recordings confirm the works status as a classic. Paul mccreesh and his gabrieli musicians record brittens. Testament presents what will undoubtedly be hailed as one of the most important releases of the britten centenary the premiere performance of the war requiem, recorded live in coventry cathedral in may of 1962. Im looking for a pdf copy of benjamin britten s war requiem to read on my ipad. Benjamin brittens war requiem is one of the most powerful statements in music about war and the pity of war. As well as a loving remastering of brittens own classic 1963 studio account for decca, there has been an historic recording of the czech premiere 1966 under karel ancerl on the supraphon label, and a new and searching performance from paul mccreesh and the gabrieli consort and players on signum. Formed as an early music ensemble by paul mccreesh in 1982, gabrieli has both outgrown and remained true to its original identity. According to the brittenpears foundations war requiem website, dunkerley, one of. In january 20 60 of the most senior members of the gabrieli young singers scheme joined gabrieli and the wroclaw philharmonic choir in watford colosseum to record brittens monumental and devastating war requiem. Commissioned to celebrate the opening of the new cathedral at coventry, built to replace the one destroyed by bombs, britten used the opportunity to write a largescale composition embodying his deeply held pacifist and humanitarian beliefs. The gabrieli consort performs the vocals with such vocal virtuosity. Gabrieli are worldrenowned interpreters of great vocal and instrumental repertoire spanning from the renaissance to the present day. The war requiem reflects britten s longheld and committed pacifist beliefs and was.
After decades in which britten s own 1963 recording of the war requiem reigned supreme, a host of fine new recordings now jostle for supremacy. In the offertorium, the common image appears to be the act of sacrifice as symbolized by abraham. Britten s war requiem 1963 is the first recording of benjamin britten s war requiem. Libera me this program runs approximately 1 hour, 30 minutes, and will be performed without an intermission. The cathedral had been destroyed in 1940 during a german bombing raid. As i said at the outset, there are several very fine recordings of the work in the catalogue and all those that ive heard offer much to the listener.
Listen to the cbso in the full war requiem, with musical analysis by stephen johnson, insights from mark padmore, and the wilfred owen poems read by alex jennings. Here mccreesh conducts the gabrieli consort, wroclaw philharmonic choir, gabrieli young singers scheme chethams chamber choir, north east youth chorale, taplow youth choir, ulster youth chamber choir, trebles of. The previous, medieval cathedral had been destroyed by bombing in 1940. War requiem benjamin britten, wroclaw philharmonic choir, gabrieli young singers scheme, tre cross rhythms. War requiem was instantly hailed as the towering choral masterpiece of the 20 th century. He returned to waso recently to sing bachs st john passion and has been soloist for various projects for joseph nolan at st georges cathedral in monteverdis. They have some of the best voices for this type of music. Listen to gabrielicp soundcloud is an audio platform that lets you listen to what you love and share the sounds you create london. Mccreesh brings astonishing clarity to the works musical syntax here is a recording worthy of the britten centenary. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Special thanks to the benjamin brittens instrumental faculty. Britten had set owens poem the kind ghosts in his nocturne of 1958. Nov 10, 2008 as a pacifist, britten was inspired by the commission, which gave him complete freedom in choosing the type of music he would like to compose. It was first performed to mark the opening of a new cathedral for the city of coventry. Gabrieli roars inaugural performance under its new name took place in february 2016 at southwark cathedral, followed by a largescale celebration of anglican choral repertoire. It has bridged the emotions of two wars, and has continued to project its message forcefully through the turbulent years that have followed. Gabrielicp gabrieli cp free listening on soundcloud. Bbc music magazine award 2012 in the technical excellence category berliozs grande messe des morts, diapason dor 20 mendelssohns elijah, bbc music magazine choral.
The war requiem was immediately hailed by critics as a masterpiece confirming britten as the finest british composer of his era. Chandos records is one of the worlds premier classical music record companies, best known for. Any recording of the war requiem is inevitably going to be compared with. So which delivers the most complete experience of this powerful work. In january 20 60 of the most senior members of the gabrieli young singers scheme joined gabrieli and the wroclaw philharmonic choir in watford colosseum to record britten s monumental and devastating war requiem.
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