Written between 1887 and 1890, the Requiem in D minor is one of the very best-known works by French composer Gabriel Fauré. A long career as a church organist accompanying the burial services of countless Parisians left the composer with a more philosophical attitude to death.
He described his Requiem as having ‘a very human feeling of faith in eternal rest’, and indeed, its remarkable modesty and unusual tenderness provide a stark contrast to the grandiloquent solemnity that defines so many other Requiem settings. This is not the fire-and-brimstone worlds of the Requiems of Mozart or Verdi, but something far more serene and accepting. As such, among all the Requiems, it's probably closer to the reflective mood of Brahms's Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem).
The omission of a ‘Dies Irae’ is telling of his attempt to do something different, and two of the final seven movements – ‘Hostias’ and ‘Libera me’ – weren’t added until 1893. A fully orchestrated version was finally published in 1901, and the debate over the ‘correct’ interpretation continues to this day.
We’ve put our heads together and come up with a definitive list of recordings…
And by the way, you can hear a performance of Fauré's Requiem at the 2024 BBC Proms! The BBC Symphony Orchestra and soloists including soprano Golda Schultz will perform this magnificent work as part of the all-French Prom 59 on Wednesday 4 September.
The best recording of Fauré's Requiem
Corydon Singers/English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Matthew Best (1987)
Hyperion CDA66292
In this modest interpretation, faithful to the 1893 edition, Matthew Best commands an immaculate performance from the Corydon Singers. Wonderful accounts of the solos from soprano Mary Seers and Michael George blend perfectly into the undemonstrative aesthetic. Fauré would have been proud of this Requiem.
Fauré Requiem: four more great recordings
The Choir of King's College, Cambridge/Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, conducted by Stephen Cleobury (2014)
Our review labelled this Fauré Requiem 'quite outstanding in its beauty, balance and sensitivity'. Our reviewer Roger Nichols also notes that this recording can also claim some considerable historical interest: it's a reconstruction of the first complete performance of the work, at Paris's Madeleine church in 1888. After that, the work underwent various changes. So, we hear the Requiem as the composer first intended it. Other strings to this disc's considerable bow include the beautiful period brass of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and the celestial voices of the Choir of King's College, Cambridge - one of the world's best choirs.
The Sixteen/Academy of St Martin in the Fields, conducted by Harry Christophers (2007)
Coro COR16057
Despite using the full orchestral version, there is an intimate feel to this live recording from stalwarts of church repertoire The Sixteen and their partners in crime at St Martin-in-the-Fields.
Harry Christophers uses brisk tempos to depict a sense of illumination and delight, and the deep affinity for Fauré’s elusive medium makes this perhaps the greatest rendition of the 1901 version of the Fauré Requiem.
La Chapelle Royale/Ensemble Musique Oblique, conducted by Philippe Herreweghe (1988)
Harmonia Mundi HMG 501292
For this, arguably the most ‘authentic’ version of the Fauré Requiem, Herreweghe managed to procure manuscripts for an updated version of the 1983 ‘chamber’ score, which placed heavier impetus on the horns.
The use of boy trebles adds a layer of cherubic purity to the already excellent sound of La Chapelle Royale, and soloists Agnès Mellon and Peter Kooy provide wonderful accounts of the solos. Certainly a recording not to be missed.
The Cambridge Singers/City of London Sinfonia, conducted by John Rutter (1984)
Collegium CSCD520
In another return to the ‘chamber’ version, John Rutter strips the score of most of its woodwind and violin parts to create a delicate texture, conducting the players at a pace similar to that of Herreweghe. Avoiding any drama or fuss, this excellent recording finds an immaculate balance between the voices and instruments.
Ample headroom is given to the singers, allowing for powerful surges that accurately depict the drama of the text, but without giving into the indulgence that Fauré so wanted to avoid in his Requiem.
Read our reviews of the latest Fauré recordings here
This article first appeared in the November 2010 issue of BBC Music Magazine.