Royal Requiem

Saturday 1 March 2008
8.00 pm
St Barnabas Cathedral, Nottingham

with Baroque Ensemble
Leader Nicolette Moonen

directed by
Richard Roddis

PROGRAMME:
(Press highlighted links to hear extracts)
Biber REQUIEM
Purcell FUNERAL MUSIC
Charpentier DE PROFUNDIS

BIBER: REQUIEM
Although his instrumental music is enjoying a revival in early music circles, Biber's sacred choral music is one of the best kept secrets of the Baroque era. As Kapellmeister at the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg from 1684 until his death in 1704, he enjoyed a great deal of success, including being honoured by Emperor Leopold I. The Requiem a 15 in A major is most likely to have been composed for the large-scale funeral solemnities for Archbishop Maximillian von Khuenberg in 1687, which lasted for 6 days and culminated in a lavish Requiem Mass. Rather than solemn mourning, the occasion called for magnificent display - which is the essential nature of the work.

The scoring, for 6-part choir & soloists (SSATBB), trumpets, trombones, strings and organ, allows for a wide variety of style and tonal contrast: at times plangent and chordal, at others florid and contrapuntal; expressive and vigorous by turns for both choir and instruments, with constantly changing texture. The work undoubtedly deserves a much wider audience than has hitherto had access - don't miss this rare opportunity to hear it live!

PURCELL & CHARPENTIER: MUSIC FOR TWO ROYAL FUNERALS
Purcell's music for the death of Queen Mary (1695) - Thou knowest Lord, March & Canzona for brass, together with the Funeral Sentences, Man that is born of a woman.

Part of Charpentier's music for the funeral of Queen Marie-Thérèse (1683) - much less familiar than the Purcell, a very expressive setting of Psalm 130, De Profundis, for soloists, choir, recorders & strings.

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