3 Things You Didn’t Know About Gabriel Faure’s Requiem

Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential pieces of classical music to ever be composed. Behind this fantastic piece of music, however, there may be some elements that would surprise even the most knowledgable classical music buff.

1. Faure wrote his Requiem just for fun.

Many people have speculated over the years what caused Gabriel Fauré to write his Requiem in the late 1800s. Some people thought it to be the death of his father in 1885. Others believed it to be the death of his mother in 1887, two years later. However, it was later discovered in copies of his letter correspondence with composer Maurice Emmanuel, Fauré stated, “My Requiem wasn’t written for anything – for pleasure, if I may call it that!”

2. Requiem was originally written to be sung by an all-male chorus.

When Fauré’s composition was premiered at the La Madeline in Paris in the year 1893, the church authorities did not allow women to sing in the church at that time. Boys and men were instead to sing the treble parts of the Requiem. Fauré knew this, and he composed the work with those voices in mind. However, it is said that Fauré preferred female voices – and when the Requiem was performed in a concert hall, female vocalists were hired to sing the treble choral parts, as well as the solo in Pie Jesu.

3. Faure’s Requiem has been evolving since its composition.

It is of no surprise that music has evolved since its creation. Style of composition and musical instruments are not the only ways in which it’s evolved, however. In the case of Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, the score itself has evolved many times. Many people have attempted to reconstruct the score into what it was in 1893 when Fauré originally planned to publish the Requiem. The score continued to be worked on, and the first edition was not released until the highly esteemed English conductor, John Rutter, paired the original orchestration with the music to create the first publishable edition. In the mid 20th century, H.T. FitzSimons bought the rights to publish an arrangement of the Requiem that contained an English text. Since then, music has become more accessible to people all over the world, and Fauré’s Requiem is no different. The incredible music for this piece is in high demand, and it is now available through many platforms. Whether you are looking for the Fauré Requiem in its original form, or you’re looking for the Fauré Requiem sheet music download option, there is something here for you. As music continues to evolve over time, let’s not let it pass us by. 

Truly great music such as this deserves to be carried on for many more generations to come. Let it be us that carries on the tradition of passing on beautiful music that inspires people to then share it with the rest of the world.