This recording presents two Austrian requiems of totally different character. Johann Joseph Fux wrote his Requiem in 1720 for the funeral of Eleonora von Neuburg, widow of the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II. Composed by a musician reputed for his theoretical skill, it impresses with the quality of the polyphonic writing combined with a very rich instrumental fabric comprising cornetts, trombones and bassoon in addition to violins, instruments also benefiting from concertante interventions. This requiem was played on numerous occasions for official ceremonies, including again for the funeral of Karl VI in 1740. On the other hand, Johann Caspar Kerll's version is presentedRead more in a much more intimist way. As he himself stated in the preface to the edition, this requiem was written "for my soul's peace". It is scored for an ensemble of five voices backed up by a quartet of viols. In a more archaic style, its intense emotion is doubtless influenced by the music of his Roman master, Giacomo Carissimi. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Missa Pro Defunctisby Johann Kaspar Kerll Conductor:
Lionel Meunier
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vox Luminis,
Scorpio Collectief,
L'Achéron
Period: Baroque Written: 1669; Germany
2.
Requiem "Kaiserrequiem"by Johann Joseph Fux Conductor:
Lionel Meunier
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vox Luminis,
Scorpio Collectief,
L'Achéron
Period: Baroque Written: 1720; Austria
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: ( 1 Customer Review )
Press reviewDecember 1, 2016By Classicalacarte Classicalacarte (Saint-Donat, QC)See All My Reviews"Jérôme Lejeune in the liner notes accompanying the CD writes : « Here we have two works of very different character. The first was filled with the deep emotion of a composer who, at the end of his life, was concerned for his souls peace; the second is a ceremonial work whose splendours fitted it for Imperial funeral services. The first is intimate, the second grandly solemn. Our modern conception of Mozarts Requiem is in a way the conflation of these two visions. This preoccupation is being examined by some of the reviewers that we have surveyed. So far, ten reviews have been surveyed. All can be consulted by simply searching for: (classicalacarte.net + ID574) on your browser. --The original and more extensive version (in French) of this press review is posted on: classicalacarte.org"Report Abuse