Requiem, which one you like and why

I participated in the performance of four requiems, singing in the choir:
  • Brahm: A German Requiem (not a classic Requiem)
  • Fauré: Requiem
  • Verdi: Messa da Requiem
  • Mozart: Requiem
Every one is special, I still might like Mozart best, depending on the mood.
And of course the one I was involved in was always the best.

I have recordings of all those performances - not all of them are very good, technically.
And I have a CD of Mozart Requiem, conducted by Karl Böhm, 1971.
 
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I have heard all the above in concert. We've sung the Faure requiem in our parish...beautiful when it finally comes together, but a lot of work.

I will add Berlioz Requiem to the list.

My bro-in-law took us to the Verdi Requiem at the Royal Albert Hall about a dozen years ago. I was really impressed that you could buy a couple BOTTLES of champagne and bring them back to the seats to drink.
 
Let's start with very early one in my collection. Palestrina 1525.
Its just voices, beautiful polyphony. Gregorian chant. If you do not hear words like 'kyrie, sanctus, agnus dei', you would not know its requiem.
 

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More votes for the Faure, Mozart and Verdi; each has their moments but the Faure is just beautiful.

Have never heard any of these live, but I imagine the 'Dies Irae' in the Verdi would rival The Who for sheer decibel output.

My favourite recordings are all old: Guilini and Reiner for the Verdi, Cluytens for the Faure and Guilini for the Mozart.

Geoff
 
Those words make it a Mass, not necessarily a Requiem. A requiem will have Dies Irae, In Paradisum, and so on.
ejp be so kind and explain to me what makes these three parts, 'kyrie, sanctus, agnus dei' not be part of requiem, just a regular mass.

These are parts of Palestrina's requiem.
 

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Benjamin Britten's War Requiem. Probably the greatest work of Western classical music ... certainly the most devastating.

I first heard it in Leeds with Richard Hickox conducting Leeds Choral Society and (what was) the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, IIRC. We provided the boys choir.

I have 2 recordings. Simon Rattle with the CBSO and Christchurch Cathedral Choir. And Britten's own Decca recording with most of the original cast. I like the earthy sounds of CCC, Oxford ...

... but it is the early Decca that sends shivers up my spine. Try the beginning of the Sanctus when Galina Vishnevskaya IS the archangel Michael descending to Earth.

I've been accused of designing both the Calrec Soundfield Mk4 microphone and Option 1, a powered speaker with 600W built in, to suit it's demands.

Just realised Simon Preston, who directed CCC, Oxford, in the Rattle recording,, was organ grinding on the Britten recording.
 
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No one mentions Jean Gilles?
There are many wonderful recordings, but my favorite is the one conducted by Louis Fremaux. It was issued in the US on Westminster XWN18466 mono.
You Tube link below.

IMHO, Mozart Requiem is uneven. Introitus, Requiem, Dies Irae, Lacrimosa, Agnus Dei, Lux Eterna are great but Tuba Mirum and Recordare are outright bad. The rest is so-so.

I've heard Verdi Requiem with Slatkin conducting SLSO sometimes in the 90s of the last century. It was very impressive, but not as great as my fav, recording Bernstein conducting LSO.
Gilles Requiem Fremaux