# Gabriel Fauré's Requiem



## Clouds Weep Snowflakes

I'm getting this one on CD by the end of the month; Mozart's Requiem is a favorite of mine since childhood, and I've been to a live concert of Verdi's Requiem last month; why do I have a feeling this one isn't as popular? Any opinion(s) on the composition?


----------



## Art Rock

It's my personal favourite among the requiems. It's subdued, refined, elegant, and I'll never get tired of it.


----------



## Bulldog

Faure's Requiem is as popular here on TC as Mozart's - Verdi's not so much.


----------



## philoctetes

Clouds Weep Snowflakes said:


> why do I have a feeling this one isn't as popular? Any opinion(s) on the composition?


Faure's hasn't been used in as many TV commercials as the other two. Something about the structure also makes it different. After Faure check out Durufle's Requiem and Rossini's Petite Messe Solenelle.


----------



## aussiebushman

Art Rock said:


> It's my personal favourite among the requiems. It's subdued, refined, elegant, and I'll never get tired of it.


Yes, the Faure requiem is indeed refined and elegant but enjoyment of it depends very greatly on the performance. I have several vinyl recordings:

_The Kings College /British Chamber Orchestra performance_ is exquisite in every respect (A German pressing - EMI Digital ASD 4234) with Arleen Auger as the solo soprano. Anyone new to this work should start here. There is a link to the CD version here - https://www.discogs.com/Fauré-Arlee...lish-Chamber-Orchestra-Requie/release/8339727

And - though not Faure, here is an example of Auger's voice in "Ach, ich liebte" 




Despite their excellent reputation, _the St John's College performance_ (Argo ZRG 841) is simply not in the same class. Jonathon Bond, the treble sounds shrill and the sound is thin, though to be fair, that may be partly the fault of the recording. However, even the choir is not as good a the King's version.

A disappointment may be in store for anyone tempted by _De Los Angleles/Fischer Dieskau performance_. The former has of course, a wonderful voice but in my opinion it is not well suited to the Faure - too much vibrato in the "opera" style, as opposed to the simplicity I prefer. This where the Auger performance excels.

Feel free to argue

Alan


----------



## aussiebushman

Extracts from the Faure along with other notable works feature in the excellent movie BOYCHOIR 
Preview here:


----------



## Reichstag aus LICHT

The Fauré Requiem was the first large-scale choral work I sang with my school choir, and it remains one of my favourite works. One of my "go-to" recordings of this wonderful work is by John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers:


----------



## Manxfeeder

Clouds Weep Snowflakes said:


> Why do I have a feeling this one isn't as popular? Any opinion(s) on the composition?


Maybe because it isn't as noisy as the other ones. People seem to remember the requiems that bring you into hell fire in the Dies Irae. This isn't out to terrify anyone, just bring comfort. Personally, I think it's great. Sylvia McNair singing the Pie Jesus with Marriner is one of my all-time favorite recordings.


----------



## Xisten267

Clouds Weep Snowflakes said:


> I'm getting this one on CD by the end of the month; Mozart's Requiem is a favorite of mine since childhood, and I've been to a live concert of Verdi's Requiem last month; why do I have a feeling this one isn't as popular? Any opinion(s) on the composition?


At least here at TC I think that Fauré's Requiem is quite popular, as *this poll* and *these results* suggest.


----------

