Verdi's 'Messa da Requiem' follows the cantata mass style, dividing the funeral service liturgy into solo, choral, and ensemble sections to interpret the text.
Composition History
Verdi initially conceived a 'Messa per Rossini' to commemorate Gioachino Rossini, a project that failed due to costs but included a 'Libera me' section later incorporated into the 'Messa da Requiem'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Verdi, a realist, did not aim for transcendence in his Requiem; instead, he contrasted the individual with the absolute in the form of death, prompting the critic Massimo Mila to call it a 'requiem ante mortem'.
Interpretation
The performers focused on the quiet, intimate passages of the Requiem and aimed for clarity and controlled dynamics, possibly influenced by the St. Thomas Church venue and the conductor's roots in the Bach tradition.
Composition History
Verdi's 'Messa da Requiem' was dedicated to the Italian poet Alessandro Manzoni, whom Verdi held in high esteem.
Performer Biography
Ron-Dirk Entleutner, the conductor, is a former chorister of the St. Thomas Church choir and founded the Ensemble amici musicae, Leipzig, which performs extensively both nationally and internationally.
Composition History
The premiere of the 'Messa da Requiem' took place on June 22, 1874, in Milan Cathedral San Marco, conducted by Verdi himself, despite challenges like concerns about honoring Manzoni with a liturgical ceremony and the unauthorized participation of women.
