John Rutter on the 'Requiem'. 1: Impulse and influence

In the first of a series of short films about the composition of his 'Requiem' (1985), John Rutter discusses the personal and musical impetuses which drove him to begin working on the piece: the death of his father, and an encounter with the original manuscript of Fauré's setting of the Requiem Mass in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris.

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[karenseymour]

I absolutely adore this Requiem, almost above all others. It has given me great comfort following the death of my husband, although I do not claim to be a person of faith. It is exquisite.

[bobyman]

And we are so glad that you did write the Requiem for yourself. Our church just performed your arrangement of "The Lord is My Shepard" from your requiem. It is a beautiful piece, simple and powerful. Inspires humans to reach for all godliness within themselves. Thank you for writing it, you have blessed our lives with all the perfectly inspired music from your requiem.

[musicimprovedme]

I admire you too, and I am so grateful for having heard this piece. I have studied it under two different conductors and I just love it. So powerful, yet gentle, and haunting yet scary. I just love it, and I love you for writing it.

I heard your requiem first, then Faure's. I can definitely hear the influence. But I like yours better!

Thanks again, Kind Sir, for your music. It is one of my favorite pieces ever, across all periods and genres of music. My world has been blessed for hearing it.

[grahamfisher]

Our music director at St Andrew's Cobham has decided we will perform this work on Good Friday in the version for small ensemble. The atmospheric opening feels very different to the composer's usual writing, but I really like that as well as the rest of the work, especially the two psalms that are included. I would have been pushed to know any composer who wrote two Requiems, but I have found one: Gounod. One of his works has Requiem as its title, but part one of his large scale oratorio, Mors Et Vita also includes a Requiem. I have been trying my tenor voice on the 'Inter Oves' which forms part of the Dies Irae.

[Skipbo]

And I dare say far more beautiful and moving than the Faure, as lovely as it is.