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From: rjw@ptsfc.UUCP (Rod Williams)
Newsgroups: net.music.classical
Subject: Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Requiem'
Message-ID: <353@ptsfc.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 18-Mar-85 13:45:11 EST
Article-I.D.: ptsfc.353
Posted: Mon Mar 18 13:45:11 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 25-Mar-85 02:46:18 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Pacific Bell, San Francisco
Lines: 32

Picked up a copy of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Requiem' the other
day and have listened to it four times already. This is a
*serious* orchestral/choral work, as opposed to L-W's usual
output (JC Superstar, Evita, Cats, etc). It recently had its
US premiere in New York, which will be broadcast on PBS on
(Good) Friday, April 5.

On the record, the piece is conducted by Lorin Maazel, with
the English Chamber Orchestra (I think!), the Winchester
Cathedral Choir, and soloists Placido Domingo (that man sure
gets around :-)), Sarah Brightman (soprano) and a boy soprano
whose name escapes me.

It's a fascinating piece, very dramatic and often quite moving.
Domingo's part is the least interesting of the soloists', but
he sings beautifully, although his Spanish-accented Latin is
rather exotic in comparison with everyone else. Sarah Brightman
is magnificent - her part is fiendishly difficult in places -
and the boy sings like an angel. 

Two choral sections are particularly effective - the 'Dies Irae'
and the 'Offertorium' (in which I noticed several 'quotes' from
Evita). The 'Hosanna' is a JC Superstar-like piece, with a
swinging gospel rhythm and exuberant African drums in the back-
ground. There's a meltingly beautiful duet for the woman and boy
sopranos in the 'Pie Jesu/Agnus Dei' - they sing alone, then
together, and then the hushed choir joins in quietly - mmmmm!
-- 
 
 rod williams
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