Using Musical Elements of Requiems in Regular Worship?

Heron

I've recently found myself listening to a number of requiems - chiefly Faure, Mozart and ....er...Rutter...

Our Place does not have any requiems (part or whole) in the usual repertoire. It seems to me that around All Souls they might be suitably offered in worship.

Are there churches that do this?

Thanks

Heron

(The Sanctus in Rutter's Requiem suggests 'Star Trek' to me....I have wondered if his father - to whom the requiem is dedicated - was a fan)

Truron

Many cathedrals and churches with good choirs do so here in England around All Soulstide and on Remembrance Sunday when some have requiems for the war dead. I imagine it is very likely in most places with a decent choral tradition.

Marsupial

I’ve come across several churches that have requiem services with music… I remember St Paul’s K Street in Washington did annual requiem for the victims of AIDS back in the 90s when I attended that parish - they used the Faure the two years I was living in Washington. I’ve sung the Victoria (generally only parts of it) for All Souls and our place is doing Lassus this year.

Nick Tamen

Heron wrote: »

I've recently found myself listening to a number of requiems - chiefly Faure, Mozart and ....er...Rutter...

Our Place does not have any requiems (part or whole) in the usual repertoire. It seems to me that around All Souls they might be suitably offered in worship.

Are there churches that do this?

I’ve known numerous (American) Presbyterian churches that do—though for not for All Souls, as that isn’t a day we observe. But perhaps for All Saints.

More often than not, it’s a movement or two rather than whole thing. Many requiems were composed more as or are more suited as concert pieces rather than as true liturgical works; doing the whole thing can overwhelm the actual service, depending on which requiem it is.

ThunderBunk

The Offerrtorium from the Faure is one of the most beautiful things in existence. Not sure where it fits into a standard celebration of the Eucharist.

Nick Tamen

ThunderBunk wrote: »

The Offerrtorium from the Faure is one of the most beautiful things in existence. Not sure where it fits into a standard celebration of the Eucharist.

Either at the offertory/preparation of the gifts, or during Communion perhaps?

Heron

Thanks. Yes, 'bits' perhaps fit best into regular worship in a church with a strong choral tradition.

I take @Nick Tamen point that requiems are not 'true liturgical works'.

I think that the texts and the music offer something not found elsewhere - but I also feel that way about the 'lost' Mattins canticles.

Perhaps putting our toe in the water with one movement during communion.

Cheers

Heron

Alan29

It's common in RC places with decent choirs. But there are some parts of the Mass where the rubrics expect the congregation to sing, (Sanctus and Agnus Dei) so some places leave them out. When I sang in the Liverpool Met Choir we sang Faure and Durufle on alternate years. Both are lovely in different ways.

Heron

Thanks @Alan29, thinking about it I can imagine our local RC shack doing full requiems.