Lo, The Righteous and Duruflé Requiem

This week on GBW and ACDA Radio/ChoralNet host Stan Schmidt brings you music by Robert White 1538-1574; Johann Christoph Bach; Franz Liszt; a classic by Sir Edward Elgar, and the great Robert Shaw recording of the Maurice Duruflé Requiem.

The show begins with the well-known chant melody “Christ qui lux es it dies” (Christ Who Art the Light and Day), by British composer Robert White, which moves very smoothly to the National Lutheran Choir, guided by Larry Fleming, and their outstanding reading of the exceptional motet by Johann Christoph Bach titled “Lo, The Righteous” and scored for SATTB unaccompanied choir.  This creator was described by J. S. Bach as a profound composer not only in the Bach Genealogy but within Society. Franz Liszt, in 1879 wrote a short set of selections called “The Rosary,” but they were not published during his life time. We will engage our ears to hear the revered baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau presenting “The Lord’s Prayer.” Then the appreciated choral classic by Sir Edward Elgar “They Are Art Rest,” featuring the Clare College Choir of Cambridge, with Graham Ross.

Finally, there is not a lot that has not already been discussed about the Gregorian melodies taken from “The Mass for the Dead” and used by Maurice Duruflé in his Requiem.  At times the text is paramount and therefore the orchestra intervenes only to sustain or comment. The first performance of this masterpiece was in November 1947.  You will hear the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus with soloists Judith Blegen, soprano, and James Morris, bass, with this everlasting and treasured  composition interpreted by Robert Shaw.   

For a look at the CD used and a complete list of music heard, go to the blog of WWW.GOINGBEYONDWORDS.COM website and click on show 2524.