Faure's Requiem, Op. 48

The perfomance we saw was guest-conducted by JoAnn Falletta with the SSO. The SSO was joined by the Seattle Symphony Chorale and soloists Joyce Guyer and Michael Anthony McGee. The piece also used SSO's pipe organ.

Faure originally composed this piece in 1886-87; it was first performed in 1900 in Paris.

The program promised that this Requiem would be different in tone than many others, and having heard a few (can't remember which), we both agreed. As Faure himself said of the piece, "it is gentle in character, like myself." There was no fire and brimstone anywhere to be felt, which was really nice. It was meant to be more of a consoling piece for the mourners than other Requiems I have heard.

The result was quite beautiful. I was engaged with it throughout, and was moved to tears during many moments, especially during the beautiful solos of McGee. It was for me a definite musical success in that it seemed to truly communicate through music the feelings & experience it was intended to convey.