GRANDE MESSE DE MORTE--HECTOR BERLIOZ

In 1837, Hector Berlioz was approached by Andrien de Gasparin about composing a Requiem Mass to commemorate the seventh anniversary of General Damrémont and the soldiers who were killed in the Siege of Constantine during the July 1830 revolution. Commissioned in July of 1837, Berlioz was left to compose the massive work in just a few short months before its intended premiere in July. After some complications with funding and the threat of bad blood with other countries, the music was canceled from the commemorative service. This left Berlioz with a huge amount of debt and a constructed work that was too great for just a normal performance. Nevertheless, there was a set date for a memorial service for the men—at which the requiem would make its debut. On December 5, 1837 Grande Messe des Morte Op.5 premiered.

Berlioz’s requiem is perhaps the most grandiose and dramatic requiem ever composed. The massive work takes close to an hour-and-a-half to perform, and calls for a massive number of performers. At its premiere, there were over four-hundred on stage. The orchestration of the requiem was brilliant to say the least, and lead to its incredible success.

***Fun fact about the premiere: the conductor put down his baton during the Tuba mirum which immediately follows the Dies irae in order to take a pinch of his snuff—a habit of conductor Antoine Habeneck. To save the show from complete disaster, Berlioz quickly jumped to the stand, grabbed the baton, and conducted the rest of the work.***

Grande Messe de Morts

I. Requiem and Kyrie

II. Dies irae

III. Quid sum miser

IV. Rex tremendae

V. Quarens Me

VI. Lacrymosa

VII. Offeratorium

VIII. Hostias

IX. Sanctus

X. Agnus Dei

Requiem is ten movements. The II-VI movements contain the text of the traditional Dies irae poem. The final movement of the Dies irae portion is VI. Lacrymosa. This movements is a suspenseful ending to this section of the mass. The message of the movement is the uncontrollable projection of man towards Judgement Day. Some musical aspects of the movement include the underlying rhythmic motif and its 9/8 time signature. The entire movement is a battle between the orchestra and the choir—each fighting each other when it comes to rhythm and pitch. This added to the suspense as there is no relief from the strain of dissonance and opposing rhythmic line. Perhaps the most stunning part of the movement comes at the end when there is finally a hopeful unison ending which then slowly fades into nothingness.

Berlioz is a prime example of a Romantic composer, and his Requiem embodies the characteristics of the romantic innovation. His works were extremely original and different from other composers of the time, often having conflicting ideas—which can easily be noticed in the dramatic contrast, size, and performance of his requiem. Berlioz wrote in his memoirs, "The prevailing characteristics of my music are passionate expression, intense ardour, rhythmical animation, and unexpected turns.." (52 Composers). Later, some studiers of Berlioz’s works described him as "by far the most progressive, original, independent and daring orchestrator of his time", "the most remarkable figure in the whole history of orchestration”, and had “inexhaustible invention, boundless audacity, an unerring sense of color and that highest economy of resource that knows when to spare and when to lavish" (Gutman). There is nothing ordinary about Berlioz’s compositions, making him a notable figure of the Romantic period.

Resources:

52 Composers. Berlioz Requiem - a Monumental Composition. Retrieved from http://www.52composers.com/berlioz-requiem.html

Gutman, P. Classical Notes - Classical Classics - Berlioz: Requiem, By Peter Gutmann. Retrieved from http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics5/berliozrequiem.html

Sanchack, K. Berloz Requiem|Program Notes. Retrieved from https://indychoir.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Berlioz-Requiem-Program-Notes-Written-by-Kris-Sanchack.pdf