Writing Music that Lasts

Every composer that puts their pen to paper has hopes of writing a piece of music that is timeless – something that people will still be humming along to for generations to come. Wrapped up inside those hopes, there is usually something inside the composer that also yearns to write a piece of music that will speak to people’s hearts and inspire them. Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem is full of elements that have not only made it timeless but have also enabled it to leave a strong impact on people’s lives for years.

Why Choir Directors Need the Requiem

In the world of a choir director, a lot of pressure can often be placed on them to choose pieces that tick all these boxes: Directors are looking for something that will leave their audiences stunned. They want something that will be appropriate for multiple uses and appeal to many people’s taste. It can be easy to lose track of time when you know you have a big concert coming up – pieces like this are great to have in your choir’s repertoire that can be performed every few years in large performances, and individual movements can be performed for smaller – scale occasions. For church choir directors, individual movements would be ideal for funerals and memorial services. Arrangements are also available for a cappella SATB voicing – a setting which draws out the rich emotion of the Requiem and presents it in an entirely unique way.

The Timelessness of Fauré’s Requiem

Owning a piece like this in its entirety, as well as owning arrangements of individual movements as octavos, is a great way to add to your musical library. These evergreen pieces continue to speak to hearts in the same ways they did at their birth in the 19th century. Audiences are sure to be blown away by the beauty of Fauré’s Requiem, as well as the love and care put into its performance.