Eternal Rest: Requiem by Duruflé
Sunday March 1, 2009 at 4pm
Grace United Methodist Church
5407 North Charles Street, Baltimore 21210
3pm pre-concert lecture by Karen Kennedy, Towson University
Suite for Organ, Op. 5
Quatre motets sur des Thèmes Grégoriens, Op. 10
Requiem, Op. 9
Jonathan Moyer organ
Catherine MiEun Choi mezzo-soprano
Robert Cantrell baritone
Melinda O'Neal conductor
Chandos Singers and Handel Choir
Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986), organist at St. Étienne-du-Mont in Paris and professor of harmony at the Paris Conservatory, wrote his Requiem in 1947 in memory of his father. Originally set for orchestra, he recast this transcendent work a year later for organ. His melodic material is based either literally or in the character of traditional Gregorian chant, while his astonishing harmonic language is lush with post-romantic richness. Duruflé's Suite for Organ (1932) and his only set of a cappella motets (1960) also take their inspiration from Gregorian chant.
Directions
