Mozart’s Requiem is, by far, the most beautiful piece of classical music I’ve experienced, and without a doubt, my absolute favorite.
Recently, Liam and I had the opportunity to watch it performed live at a church memorial performance, and I was sincerely moved. The aspect of viewing a live performance enhances the music in ways a digital recording could never get across.
The composition itself is one of a kind. It really defines what music can be and magnifies my admiring perception of the art of musicians.
It’s also almost an hour long… but an hour of constantly evolving, captivating music, at that, and absolutely worth it. So, for this post, I’m going to focus on four specific sections of the composition.
Introitus
The first few notes are so soft and mellow, grasping the listener’s curiosity, which quickly grows into an incredibly powerful duet between the lower voices and the higher voices, each alternating notes at opposite pitches, and gaining speed and intertwining as the section continues.
This creates a very climactic, astounding sensation with the listener, and the vocals, while in a different language, only substantiate the intricacy and depth of the music.
Rex Tremendae
While a much shorter section than the Introitus, Rex caught my attention as soon as the melody began. Having had much experience with reading and playing music, I love being able to follow the notes as they relate within an ensemble. And in the case of this, the melody was just right. The flow seemed so natural, and the sound produced was so dynamic. Overall, I think this was my favorite section from the composition, just above the Introitus. It was invigorating, enlivening, and for lack of a better term, really cool.
Benedictus
This section was particularly joyous, had an uplifting melody to it, and served greatly in incorporating the outstanding contrast in the piece. It is incredibly fluent, peaceful, and really enjoyable to listen to overall. This section also had some great brass, which throughout the entire Requiem, was really prominent in sustaining the power and influence of the piece. When paired with the strings and the vocals, the sound produced is just amazing.
Lacrimosa
This section is Liam’s favorite from the Requiem. The melody is really suspenseful and enthralling, and as he describes it, incredibly inspiring and driving. I couldn’t agree more. The combination of vocals, different styles, dynamic contrast, and varied notes and pitches, comes together to create a true masterpiece.
Liam’s passion for music is truly remarkable. He inspired my journey into classical music, a genre of which I had previously hardly touched, and came to love, and this experience was an incredible culmination.
Liam, I can’t thank you enough.
Gabe
