Berlioz: Requiem (Grande Messe des Morts)

CD Requiem (Grande Messe des morts), for tenor, chorus & orchestra, H. 75 (Op. 5)

1. No. 1 Requiem et Kyrie (Introït)
2. Opening
3. Prose des morts: No. 2 Dies irae et Tuba mirum
4. I. Requiem et Kyrie (Introït)
5. Prose des morts: No. 3 Quid sum miser
6. Prose des morts: II. Dies irae et Tuba mirum
7. Prose des morts: No. 4 Rex tremendae
8. Prose des morts: III. Quid sum miser
9. Prose des morts: No. 5 Quaerens me
10. Prose des morts: IV. Rex tremendae
11. Prose des morts: No. 6 Lacrymosa
12. Prose des morts: V. Quaerens me
13. Offertoire (Chœur des âmes du purgatoire): No. 7 Domine
14. Prose des morts: VI. Lacrymosa
15. Offertoire (Chœur des âmes du purgatoire): No. 8 Hostias
16. Offertoire (Chœur des âmes du purgatoire): VII. Domine
17. No. 9 Sanctus
18. Offertoire (Chœur des âmes du purgatoire): VIII. Hostias
19. No. 10 Agnus Dei
20. IX. Sanctus
21. X. Agnus Dei
22. Applause and end credits

DVD Requiem (Grande Messe des morts), for tenor, chorus & orchestra, H. 75 (Op. 5)

1. No. 1 Requiem et Kyrie (Introït)
2. Opening
3. Prose des morts: No. 2 Dies irae et Tuba mirum
4. I. Requiem et Kyrie (Introït)
5. Prose des morts: No. 3 Quid sum miser
6. Prose des morts: II. Dies irae et Tuba mirum
7. Prose des morts: No. 4 Rex tremendae
8. Prose des morts: III. Quid sum miser
9. Prose des morts: No. 5 Quaerens me
10. Prose des morts: IV. Rex tremendae
11. Prose des morts: No. 6 Lacrymosa
12. Prose des morts: V. Quaerens me
13. Offertoire (Chœur des âmes du purgatoire): No. 7 Domine
14. Prose des morts: VI. Lacrymosa
15. Offertoire (Chœur des âmes du purgatoire): No. 8 Hostias
16. Offertoire (Chœur des âmes du purgatoire): VII. Domine
17. No. 9 Sanctus
18. Offertoire (Chœur des âmes du purgatoire): VIII. Hostias
19. No. 10 Agnus Dei
20. IX. Sanctus
21. X. Agnus Dei
22. Applause and end credits

Adding to his growing output of Berlioz recordings for Erato, John Nelson leads the Philharmonia Orchestra in a compelling and sensitive performance of the "Requiem (Grande Messe des morts)," recorded in London's St. Paul's Cathedral in vibrant sound with magnificent acoustics. The fame of the "Requiem" rests largely on the effectiveness of the "Tuba Mirum" section of the "Dies Irae," where Berlioz calls for four antiphonal brass ensembles stationed at the four corners of the auditorium, representing the "Last Judgment," and if their ricocheting fanfares aren't loud enough to raise the dead, the percussion section of sixteen timpani, two bass drums, and four tam-tams may well raise one's neck hairs. Yet the bulk of Berlioz's 1837 masterpiece is considerably subdued and reflective in mood, and the orchestra serves mostly as an accompaniment to the London Philharmonic Choir and the Philharmonia Chorus, which are fully audible at soft dynamics and the Latin text is clearly articulated. Tenor Michael Spyres delivers the rapturous solo in the "Sanctus," seemingly floating above the women's voices in Berlioz's remarkably transparent textures. The performance was recorded on March 8, 2019, and the concert video is provided on a bonus DVD.