Concert after the Remembrance Day: Duruflé's Requiem in the Dominicus Church

A loving requiem

A loving requiem, is that what we would call Maurice Duruflé's work? No hell and damnation, hardly any menace, and few thunderous tones. Following Fauré, Duruflé focused on the comforting side of the requiem mass. With one major characteristic: the melodies of Gregorian chant. Time and again, the composer appears to rely on those ancient unaccompanied, monophonic chants. These now face resistance and counter-voices, harmonically cast in a new light.

Fitting with our times

The requiem was completed in 1947 and has been performed frequently ever since, in various versions with organ alone or with organ and orchestra. The Netherlands Concert Choir last sang it in 2017 and is pleased to have it back on its music stands.