Written around 1888, Faure’s Requiem is among the most well loved and widely sung of the requiem masses. It’s relatively straightforward to sing compared with, say, Duruflé’s alternative.
In this episode of our Choir and Organ Tutorials from the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich we’re presenting a rehearsal and performance of the last movement, In Paradisum, led by Ralph Allwood. It’s particularly appropriate for this time of year, when we remember the dead on Remembrance Sunday and at the feast of All Souls.
In his introduction to the piece, Ralph explains that the movement is the last one in the entire work, and is strictly part of the burial service. Most assume that the title should be translated as “in paradise”, but in fact the correct mode is “into paradise”. It’s a serene piece of music that has an ethereal quality, reinforced by the angelic sound of the soprano voices at the start. This is probably best sung, suggests Ralph, without vibrato.
Jonathan Eyre, on the organ, proposes that all organists should learn the page turns. “Make sure you learn the bar before and the bar after the page turn!” he says, as there are some unexpected progressions. He also points out that because of the flexibility of the Viscount instrument he’s playing, it’s been possible to revoice the two-foot flute that adds the sparkle to the upper part.
Ralph suggests that when composers set the word ‘Jerusalem’, almost always something special happens in the music, and this piece is no exception. It’s the point at which the lower parts come in, and contains the most sublime harmonic progression.
Find out more about this tutorial here:
viscountorgans.net/gabriel-fa...
About the Choir & Organ tutorial series:
This choir and organ tutorial series emphasises the partnership between director and organist, showing how the roles complement each other when creating excellent church music. The organist for this series is Jonathan Eyre, and the series is illustrated with a number of classic examples from the repertoire.
The works include the mass movements, Gloria and Sanctus, classic anthems such as Elgar’s monumental “Give unto the Lord”, and a section from Fauré’s Requiem. Each episode brings out a different aspect of choral performance and organ accompaniment, in most cases including a detailed rehearsal during which Ralph Allwood leads the choir through to a full rendition.
There is a well-established production team for these tutorial sessions, and it was a pleasure once again to bring it together for a recording session at the Old Royal Naval College Chapel in Greenwich on a bright day in January. James Atkinson, with his assistant Andy Heathcote, was responsible for the excellent camera work, this time employing a full six cameras to capture every detail of the action from a variety of angles. Adrian Lucas masterminded the sound recording, while Francis Rumsey acted as session director.
The organ used during these recordings is a Viscount Regent 356, a physical modelling digital instrument, which was installed in the chapel a few years ago to stand in for its ailing but historically significant pipe organ. The location of the console near to the choir at the front of the chapel makes for relatively easy interaction between conductor and organist.
Find out more about the choir and organ tutorial series here: viscountorgans.net/choir-and-...
2 ноя 2023
