Search - William Harper, Gudmundur Emilsson, Latvian Radio Choir :: Requiem

Requiem is a new work by Chicago composer William Harper. Known for his innovative and startling new opera and music theater productions like El Greco, Snow Leopard, Dead Birds, Crimson Cowboy and the infamous Peyote Roadkill. Commissioned in memory of Chicago philanthropist Kenneth Montgomery, the music of Requiem is drawn from the traditional chant melodies of the Requiem Mass which evolved from early first millennium cantorial tradition. Harper adheres faithfully to the melodies but works them into driving rhythmic structures and astonishing electronic textures. The earthy resonance of Maggi-Meg Reed?s solo brings a warm medieval humanity into to the pristine perfection of the Latvian Radio Choir under the direction of Icelandic conductor Gudmundur Emilsson. Requiem is a new example of Harper's musical cross-pollination conjuring up the emotion, ritual, pathos and passion of the common human experience. All of the music in William Harper?s Requiem is drawn directly from Gregorian Chant. Gregorian Chant is a rich body of Roman Catholic song which evolved from Jewish cantorial song during the 3rd, 4th and 5th centuries and was collected and organized by Pope Gregory I late in the 6th century. Gregorian melodies are associated with specific texts from which they are not separable. The Psalms were created in Hebrew by a variety of poets and are thought to have been assembled in writing around 200 BC. All of the texts on this recording are sung in Latin.