War Requiem - Op. 66 (H. Rilling) (2SACD)

Detailní popis produktu

Britten's quot;War Requiemquot; may be one of the largest and most shaking works of the 20th century. The work was an immediate success following its premiere on May 30th 1962 for the rededication of Coventry Cathedral (which had been destroyed during the Battle of Britain in World War II), winning the admiration of both press and public. Britten used texts from Catholic Mass for the Dead and poems by Wilfried Owens, in order to make a public statement of Britten's anti-war convictions. It was a denunciation of the wickedness of war, not of other men. The fact that Britten wrote the piece for three specific soloists -- a German baritone (Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau), a Russian soprano (Galina Vishnevskaya), and a British tenor (Peter Pears) -- demonstrated that he had more than the losses of his own country in mind, and symbolized the importance of reconciliation. Since the work requires an extensive ensemble of singers and musicians, it is rarely performed. In this performance by Helmuth Rilling, the maestro has once again called upon some of the finest singers in Europe and presides over the massive musical canvas with a deep sensitivity to the works texts and intent, to create a truly shattering performance for our time.