Requiem

This recording presents the ancient Gregorian chant repertoire for the Mass and burial of the dead, commonly known as the Requiem. The Requiem elicits the sadness of mourning and inspires hope for the Christian afterlife. The chant expresses a spirit of rest or repose, which is the meaning of “Requiem.” The chant melodies go back to Roman times and may also include ancient Byzantine sources. The CD booklet includes the Latin and English texts, along with descriptions of when in the Mass and burial proceedings each part of the Requiem is sung. Famous Requiems include those of Mozart and the Romantic-era masterpiece of Fauré. Most tracks are monophonic (one-voiced) Gregorian chants, but the last two are polyphonic motets, by Palestrina (1524-1594) and Giovanni Battista Martin (1708-1784), one of Mozart’s teachers. The Fraternity began in 1988 in Rome, but is now a worldwide community of young priests that include skilled and committed singers of Gregorian chant.