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Re-writing the Rule Book
Rutter and Fauré Requiems
performed by the Armonico Consort,
heard by KEITH BRAMICH
It's unusual (and possibly sombre) programming to place two requiems — the John Rutter and the Gabriel Fauré — in one choral/orchestral concert, separated only by an interval and by Fauré's short Cantique de Jean Racine in Rutter's orchestration for harp and strings.
For me, the Fauré Requiem was the stronger performance yesterday afternoon [on Sunday 25 September 2016 at Malvern Theatres, Worcestershire, UK], although the gentleman sitting next to me didn't agree. In any case it wasn't quite a level playing field, since the Rutter was performed in the composer's chamber arrangement (with only seven instrumentalists — harp, organ, flute, oboe, cello, glockenspiel and timpani) whereas the Fauré was delivered with larger forces — harp, organ, six violas, two cellos, double bass, two horns and timpani.
The three decades which have passed since John Rutter wrote his Requiem (following the death of his father) allow us to look back at this work as a British twentieth century classic, first performed and very popular in the USA...
Copyright © 26 September 2016
Keith Bramich,
Worcestershire UK
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