REJCHA A. (1770-1836) REQUIEM / V.Hrubá-Freiberger, A.Barová, V.Doležal, L.Vele

Antonín Rejcha (1770-1836) - Requiem. Missa pro defunctis for Soloists, Chorus, Organ and Orchestra 00:55:05

1. Introitus et Kyrie. Requiem aeternam 00:04:33

2. Introitus et Kyrie. Kyrie 00:03:13

3. Sequentia. Dies irae 00:01:03

4. Sequentia. Tuba mirum 00:02:12

5. Sequentia. Liber scriptus 00:05:26

6. Sequentia. Rex tremendae majestatis 00:01:42

7. Sequentia. Recordare 00:04:27

8. Sequentia. Confutatis maledictis 00:03:22

9. Sequentia. Lacrimosa 00:02:31

10. Offertorium. Domine, Jesu Christe 00:06:23

11. Offertorium. Hostias et preces 00:05:26

12. Sanctus 00:02:09

13. Sanctus. Benedictus 00:04:28

14. Agnus Dei et communio. Agnus Dei 00:01:54

15. Agnus Dei et communio. Lux aeterna 00:06:16

Stereo digital studio recording, Rudolfinum, Prague, 1988.

Věnčeslava Hrubá-Freiberger soprano

Anna Barová contralto

Vladimír Doležal tenor

Luděk Vele bass

Jaroslav Tvrzský organ

Prague Philharmonic Choir

Dvořák Chamber Orchestra

Lubomír Mátl conductor

- Antonín Rejcha (1770, Prague - 1836 Paris) was a respected professor of counterpoint and fugal technique at Paris Conservatory, and an author of pedagogical works which even Bedřich Smetana and Fryderyk Chopin studied. He wrote wind quintets, piano fugues, overtures and symphonies.

- It wasn't until the late 20th century that the discovery of his manuscripts in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris revealed that he was also a composer of large works for choir and orchestra.

- One such discovery was Rejchas's Missa pro defunctis - Requiem, written in Vienna, where Rejcha lived from 1802 to 1808 before settling down in Paris.

- The piece displays the characteristic marks of Rejcha's compositional style: chromaticism, a rich modulation scheme, colorful instrumentation and a sensitive musical expression of the meaning of the Latin text.

(Supraphon 2005)