Search - Foulds, Charbonnet, BBC Symphony :: Foulds: A World Requiem [Hybrid SACD]

A Stirring Performance

D. A Wend | Buffalo Grove, IL USA | 04/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A World Requiem is a vast, amazing work by John Foulds, probably all the more remarkable since he wrote it without commission believing that such a requiem was needed following the First World War as a tribute to the dead and consolation for the survivors. Ideas for the requiem first occurred to John Foulds in 1914 but he did not begin writing until 1918 and completed the full score in 1921. He immediately offered the requiem to the British Music Society and the members, who included Arthur Bliss and Adrian Boult were so impressed that a performance was scheduled for Armistice Night (November 11) 1921 but was put off because the non-liturgical text made the work "unsuitable" for Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's Cathedral. A World Requiem was fir performed on November 11, 1923 at Albert Hall. It was written for huge forces: four soloists, four choirs and a large orchestra including organ. When John Foulds mounted the podium to conduct the first performance he has 1,250 musicians performing.



The multi-faith text was written by the composer and his wife, Maude MacCarthy based on the Psalms and Gospels but also including phrases from other works such as a Hindu poem translated into English. Latin phrases were also incorporated into the text, such as "Requiem aeternum" but the Latin mass of the dead, used by Benjamin Britten with poetry by Wilfred Owen in his War Requiem, is not present. A World Requiem was performed each year until 1926 when the work was withdrawn despite protests from choral groups. It was not heard again until this performance.



A World Requiem is divided into 20 interconnected parts divided into two major parts. The music begins a Requiem section, a quiet and solemn chorale before the explosion of sound of the Pronuntuiato. The music beautifully alternates solists and choirs with impressive orchestral writing. A World Requiem is a very engaging work that sums up all that John Foulds had achieved musically up to this time. This performance by the BBC Orchestra conducted by Leon Botstein is beautifully conceived with superb playing by the orchestra. The soloists are magnificent except the soprano who has too much vibrato and sounds unsteady at times. The various choirs perform beautifully and one can understand the disappointment of choristers when A World Requiem ceased to be performed. The recording by Chandos is clear and well balanced.

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