Requiem/Requiem

The Faure requiem's beautiful, lyric lines are played amazingly by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: The Kyrie and Agnus Dei are especially nice, with slow, flowing melodies. The voices compliment the orchestra perfectly. The violin on the Sanctus is a bit schmaltzy, but the soloist plays it very well.

Even more amazing than the Faure requiem is the Durufle. Much of this requiem is based on Gregorian chants, and it has a quiet, contemplative sound that is very powerful and moving. Because so much of the requiem is quiet, the dynamic contrasts in this piece are very dramatic: the climax of the Sanctus is perhaps the most beautiful moment in the history of music. Turn up the volume and let this Sanctus blow you away! This is the music I want at my funeral.

Also recommended: "Bluebird: Voices from Heaven"

What a performance this is. It truly is one of the most sublime, peaceful, spiritual, and beautiful compositions I have heard. The heavenly soft opening speaks volumes of what this requiem will be like. The diction of the chorus is impeccable, but beyond this, their singing is perfectly balanced, and at times you feel as though they really are singing in complete unison without one flaw, which is impressive for a group of people. Heavenly sounds emit from the chorus. You can tell they were well prepared in this piece. Also, the chorus never drowns out the orchestra, which is an integral part of the polyphonic nature of the piece.

The recording quality of this requiem, as I always seem to say about Telarc, is top notch. The sound is warm, lush, has a great deal of presence and transparency, and full. You may have to kick up the volume a bit more than on other recordings, but that is no big deal when you get to hear the end result. Every detail is in this recording, from the very faint cellos backing up the female singers, the beautiful oboe solos, or full fleging sound of the orchestra and chorus. When they play together, it's magic and will literally provide goosebumps when the organ adds its part!

If you're a fan of requiem masses or just want something very soothing and uplifting to listen to buy this recording. My only request is this: really pay attention to all the details. Listen to the recording. Don't be doing other things while it's playing, but let is absorb your thoughts, and you may very well temporarily understand what inspiration is.