Sunday, November 1, 9:00 a.m. in the Guild Room.
Gentle. Serene. Sublimely beautiful. These are but a few of the words used to describe Requiem by Gabriel Fauré which will lead our worship on All Saints Day, Sunday, November 1 at the 10:00 Eucharist. Delving into the Impressionistic Style, Fauré depicts an almost heavenly experience without being overly dramatic. Fauré himself called the Requiem a “lullaby of death,” which is very different from the settings of many who came before him (like Mozart or Berlioz). Fauré thought of death as “a happy deliverance, an aspiration to happiness above rather than as a painful experience,” and his music reflects that belief. Using texts from the traditional Requiem Mass, he chose not to set most of the “Dies irae” (Day of wrath, day of judgment) except for the lovely soprano solo “Pie Jesu” (Gentle Jesus, Lord, grant them rest.)
Written for choir and two soloists (soprano and baritone) and a small orchestra, Faure features the lower dark, rich colors of violas and cellos with only one violin solo. And, of course, a harp. How else can we ascend to heaven in the final movement? Come learn more about the setting of these prayers for the dead and how Fauré expresses them at 9:00 on All Saints Day, when Jeannie Cobb will offer insights to increase your understanding and prepare you to participate in worship through music at 10:00.
