War Requiem

by Benjamin Britten

War Requiem cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 1964
  • Label: Decca
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 2:11:10
  • Community rating: 3.91/5 from 3 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Benjamin Britten conducts the London Symphony Orchestra in a monumental recording of his non-liturgical requiem mass. The composition interweaves the traditional Latin Mass for the Dead, performed by a soprano and chorus, with the anti-war poetry of Wilfred Owen delivered by a tenor and baritone.

Genres

Descriptors: Modern, war, progressive, choral, acoustic, death, orchestral, symphonic, long-form, spirituality

Tracklist

  1. War Requiem, Op. 66: I. Requiem aeternam: a. Requiem aeternam (5:54)
  2. War Requiem, Op. 66: I. Requiem aeternam: b. What Passing Bells for These who die as Cattle? (3:39)
  3. War Requiem, Op. 66: II. Dies irae: a. Dies irae (3:38)
  4. War Requiem, Op. 66: II. Dies irae: b. Bugles Sang, Saddening the Evening Air (2:34)
  5. War Requiem, Op. 66: II. Dies irae: c. Liber Scriptus (2:56)
  6. War Requiem, Op. 66: II. Dies irae: d. Out there, We've Walked quite Friendly up to Death (1:56)
  7. War Requiem, Op. 66: II. Dies irae: e. Recordare Jesu pie (4:49)
  8. War Requiem, Op. 66: II. Dies irae: f. Be Slowly Lifted Up (1:51)
  9. War Requiem, Op. 66: II. Dies irae: g. Dies irae (1:13)
  10. War Requiem, Op. 66: II. Dies irae: h. Lacrimosa dies illa (1:54)
  11. War Requiem, Op. 66: II. Dies irae: i. Move Him into the Sun (4:50)
  12. War Requiem, Op. 66: III. Offertorium: a. Domine Jesu Christe (3:32)
  13. War Requiem, Op. 66: III. Offertorium: b. So Abram Rose, and Clave the Wood (6:10)
  14. War Requiem, Op. 66: IV. Sanctus: a. Sanctus (6:01)
  15. War Requiem, Op. 66: IV. Sanctus: b. After the Blast of Lightning from the East (3:49)
  16. War Requiem, Op. 66: V. Agnus Dei: One ever Hangs Where Shelled Roads Part (3:39)
  17. War Requiem, Op. 66: VI. Libera me: a. Libera me, Domine (7:36)
  18. War Requiem, Op. 66: VI. Libera me: b. It Seemed that out of Battle I Escaped (9:35)
  19. War Requiem, Op. 66: VI. Libera me: c. Let Us Sleep Now...In Paradisum (5:37)
  20. War Requiem, Op. 66: Requiem aeternam - (Rehearsal) (7:21)
  21. War Requiem, Op. 66: Dies irae - (Rehearsal) (9:46)
  22. War Requiem, Op. 66: Dies irae - (Rehearsal) (2:04)
  23. War Requiem, Op. 66: Dies irae - (Rehearsal) (4:38)
  24. War Requiem, Op. 66: Offertorium - (Rehearsal) (8:23)
  25. War Requiem, Op. 66: Sanctus - (Rehearsal) (6:15)
  26. War Requiem, Op. 66: Sanctus - (Rehearsal) (0:19)
  27. War Requiem, Op. 66: Agnus Dei - (Rehearsal) (1:07)
  28. War Requiem, Op. 66: Libera me - (Rehearsal) (1:11)
  29. War Requiem, Op. 66: Libera me - (Rehearsal) (5:21)
  30. War Requiem, Op. 66: Libera me - (Rehearsal) (3:17)

Credits

  • Benjamin Britten - primary artist, composed by, conductor
  • Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau - baritone vocals
  • Highgate School Boy's Choir - choir
  • London Symphony Chorus - chorus
  • The Bach Choir - chorus
  • David Willcocks - chorus master
  • Edward Chapman - chorus master [director of music highgate school choir]
  • Kenneth Wilkinson - engineer [recording]
  • Melos Ensemble Of London - ensemble
  • D - lacquer cut by
  • E - lacquer cut by
  • John Culshaw - liner notes [commentary], producer [recording]
  • William Plomer - liner notes [preface]
  • London Symphony Orchestra - orchestra
  • Simon Preston - organ
  • Ilse Buhs - photography by
  • Lotte Meitner-Graf - photography by
  • Galina Vishnevskaya - soprano vocals
  • Noel Mander - technician [chamber organ built by]
  • Peter Pears - tenor vocals
  • Wilfred Owen - words by [poems]

More from Benjamin Britten: full discography