Duruflé Requiem

Join Résonance and the Chancel Choir of First United Methodist Church for an evening that bridges the ancient and the modern, moving from the soaring heights of virtuoso organ music to a quiet, shimmering vision of peace.

 

ARTISTS

Barron Breland, conductor

Mark Kurtz, organ and collaborative pianist

Jamie Luedtke, mezzo-soprano

Jesse Wohlman, baritone

Résonance

with

Chancel Choir of First United Methodist Church

Mark Kurtz, director 

Marie Meyers, collaborative pianist

 

PROGRAM 

MARCEL DUPRE: Prelude and Fugue in B Major

MARK KURTZ: Praise to God from A Symphony of Praise

MAURICE DURUFLE: Requiem, Op. 9

COPLAND: The Promise of Living

 

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

We open the evening by unveiling the full brilliance of the recently refurbished Quimby organ with Marcel Dupré’s Prelude and Fugue in B Major. A masterwork of French virtuosity, this piece was written by Duruflé’s own teacher and serves as the ultimate test for the instrument’s 3,599 pipes. From its toccata-like shimmering chords to its complex, dancing fugue, the Dupré showcases the organ’s symphonic warmth and the brilliant, copper Trompette-en-chamade. 

Unlike more dramatic settings of the Latin mass, Duruflé emphasizes peace and solace. It is a profound and deeply moving work that offers a contemplative interpretation of the tradition, creating an atmosphere that offers comfort rather than terror. In this intimate “organ version” with the voices of Résonance, blending into a single, breathing entity, perfectly matched to the “symphonic warmth” of the refurbished Quimby organ.

To conclude our journey, we return to a work that has become a cornerstone of our season – Aaron Copland’s quintessential American anthem, ‘The Promise of Living.’ Its return offers a deeper resonance; this celebratory finale transforms spiritual peace into a visceral, communal vision of shared labor and hope—a stirring reminder that the ‘blessings of harvest’ are found in our love for one another.

First United Methodist Church Omaha
7020 Cass Street
Omaha, NEbraska 68132
United States