Mozart Requiem Review

On Friday 1 May an audience of over three hundred gathered in Chapel to hear Mozart’s Requiem. Over the years this choral concert has become regular fixture in the Lancing calendar just before the early May Bank holiday and the onset of public exams.

The combined chorus of over 100 singers was formed of the College Singers and Lancing’s Choir. The College Singers is Lancing’s community choir is open to all and began rehearsing for this concert in March, before the Easter break. A professional chamber orchestra of twenty players provided the wonderful accompaniment and included two current pupils, Eva A-S (viola) and Isaac H (cello), two recent OLs Grace Shearing (violin) and Kevin Ng (timps) as well as many of our VMTs.

The Requiem features some of the most sublime music ever written, but behind the music is an intriguing story! In 1791, when Mozart received a mysterious commission to compose a new Requiem he was already in ill health. Later that year Mozart died at the very young age of 35, leaving the Requiem unfinished. It was subsequently completed by one of his pupils, Franz Xaver Sussmayr and it was this completion that was performed on Friday evening.

The opening movement ‘Requiem aeternam’ sets the scene with the expressive bassoon and basset horn introduction before announcing the first chorus. Henry W provided the first solo, effortlessly gliding over the orchestral strings with Mozart’s borrowed plainsong melody. The ensuing Kyrie fugue tests the technique of the chorus but they made light work of all the semi-quaver runs. Almost immediately the chorus dashed headlong into the next movement, the dramatic ‘Dies irae’ where phrases are interspersed with scurrying chromatic strings. The chorus was on fine form here soaring over the energetic accompaniment.

The first solo quartet ‘Tuba mirum’ features the well-known trombone solo, performed on this occasion by Mr Fulwell. Tom C (bass) mirrored this phrase in his opening statement demonstrating his vocal control and rich tone. The quartet was completed by Freddie W (tenor), Sophia W (alto) and Lili R (soprano) who each took turns as soloist before combining as a quartet. The second solo quartet followed soon with the ‘Recordare’ and featured a new combination of soloists; Maria N (soprano), Miss Barker (alto) with Freddie W and Tom C once more. Several more choruses followed including the ‘Lacrymosa’ which opens with the last eight bar Mozart composed. I am told that such was the beauty of the Choir’s singing, it brought a tear to the eye of the leader of the orchestra whilst playing! The third solo quartet, ‘Benedictus’,  was almost entirely composed by Sussmayr rather than Mozart but features exquisite solo lines sung this time by Izzy M (soprano), Beatrice de C-W (alto) and Freddie W and Tom C. For the closing choruses, Sussmayr brings back Mozart’s opening material and Julia M stepped forward to deliver the final solo phrase before the Chorus resumed with the final fugue.

This was certainly an evening that will live long in the memory and to hear nine pupils sing the solos with the poise of professional soloists was remarkable.

Alexander Mason
Director of Music