For me, much of Mozart’s work has the capacity to provide great healing. Examples can be found in his chamber music, in his Opera’s, and in the slow movements of many of his piano concerti. Compositions with a religious theme clearly have this capacity as well. Here is just one example of the work that contains the well known and ever so moving “Lacrymosa”:
Mozart: Requiem in D minor, K626
(completion by F.X. Süssmayr)
Performed by Genia Kühmeier (soprano), Bernarda Fink (contralto), Mark Padmore (tenor) and Gerald Finley (bass), with the Netherlands Radio Choir & Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mariss Jansons conducting.
During his last years in Vienna Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed only three liturgical works: the short ‘Ave Verum Corpus’ and two unfinished masterworks: the ‘Mass in C minor’ and the ‘Requiem’ in D minor.
The ‘Requiem’ from 1791 is stylistically far removed from that early church music and suits the concert hall better than the church.
Chief conductor Mariss Jansons leads the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Choir and a stellar vocal quartet, featuring Genia Kühmeier, Bernarda Fink, Mark Padmore and Gerald Finley in an intense reading of Mozart’s last masterpiece.
International Record Review wrote:
“blessed … beautifully and grievingly sung”
On the 200th anniversary of Mozart’s death, his Requiem was performed at St. Stephens chcuch in Vienna, as conducted by Sir Georg Solti. Here is that entire performance, and you will get to hear the Laceymosa, we well!
