Anronin DVORAK's REQUIEM an INTRODUCTION by Thomas Sheets
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· ........................................................................ ANrONIN DVORAK'S REQUIEM AN INTRODUCTION by Thomas Sheets This article coincides with the expressive manner. The harmonic had been performed in England centennial of the Requiem's language reflects the Czecho previously, it was apparently the premiere, October 9, 1891. slovakian composer's well London performance of his Stabat documented nationalistic style, but a Mater in March of 1883, ,conducted HE REALM OF NINE look beneath the surface reveals the by Joseph Barnby, which galvanized teenth-century musical influence of Wagner, whom Dvorak the interest of the English musical settings of the Roman had revered since his youth. establishment. Catholic liturgy Missa pro The composer's music, well-known Dvorak made his first visit to dejunctis includes a broad in his own country and central England in March of 1884. It was, range of in Dvorak's own words, a compositions by great success, and he many prominent correctly predicted that it composers. Considered in would result in a long terms of musical grandeur, lasting musical relationship: this genre is clearly dominated by the Verdi "As soon as I appeared, I Requiem; however, there was received by the are several other settings audience, which consisted which deserve attention. of 12,000 people, with Among the lesser-known stormy applause. From works of this repertoire - item to item the general which includes compositions enthusiasm grew, and at by Donizetti, Bruckner, the end the applause was Liszt, and Schumann - is a so great that I had monumental work by repeatedly to thank the Antonin Dvorak, his audience. At the same time Requiem, opus 89. the orchestra and the choir Dvorak's Requiem is an overwhelmed me with the expansive work, similar in most cordial ovations. In scope to the Verdi Messa da short, it went off as well as Requiem or the Grande I could possibly have messe des morts by Berlioz. wished. From all this I Scored for chorus, four have gained the conviction soloists, and large orchestra, that a new, and with it was composed during God's will, happier period 1890 to fulfill a commission is now beginning for me issued by the Birmingham here in England, a period Festival. The choral writing which, I hope, will in includes a broad variety of general bring good fruits voicings and textures, and for Czech art. The English presents the text in a highly are a good, cordial and music-loving nation, and it Sheets is Associate Conductor of the Master Europe, did not become familiar to is well-known that if they are fond Chorale of Orange County, in Costa Mesa, English audiences until the last of anyone they remain loyal to him. California, and Director of Music at quarter of the nineteenth century. May God grant that this should Anaheim United Methodist Church. Although a few of Dvorak's works happen in my case, too."! October 1991 Page 17 Britain's ensuing fascination with new composition soon received which informed his choice of the text Dvorak and his music soon resulted performances not only in Europe but or musical style of this work. The in several commissions and also in the United States, Australia, absence of specific information about conducting appearances on 'behalf of and Canada. This type of interest the genesis of the Requiem is the Birmingham, Leeds, and Three and acclaim was typically given to counterbalanced by some well Choirs festivals (for further each of Dvorak's new choral works established knowledge of the discussion of this, see "The Choral during this period, so it is not composer's compositional habits and Music of Antonin Dvorak" on pages surprising that despite his declination religious values. It is known that 7-14) . of their previous request, the Dvorak was a deeply religious man, The Birmingham Festival was the Birmingham Festival once again a Catholic whose faith was elemental most prestigious of the many music approached the composer, this time and unswerving. He received the festivals in England, and Dvorak was to request a new work for their 1891 orthodox training of a church repeatedly commissioned by its festival. Dvorak accepted the directors to write choral works for commission in late 1889, and began this triennial event. The result of sketching the Requiem on New Dvorak's first commission from Year's Day, 1890. The sketch was Birmingham was his cantata The completed on July 11, and the full Dvorak's final revisions Spectre's Bride, which received its score occupied the composer from were not included in print English premiere on August 27, August 2 until October 31. Dvorak 1885. While Dvorak was still in and Henry Littleton of Novello and until the publication of Birmingham, the secretary of the Company did not come to terms festival, R. Harding Milward, asked readily on the matter of the the Dvorak Complete if the composer would accept a publication of the Requiem, and Works Edition in 1961. commission for" a great oratorio" when the vocal score was published which would be premiered at the in late 1891 it did not possess next festival. 2 Promising to give the Dvorak's final revisions. These matter some thought, Dvorak later changes were not included in print declined the invitation due to the until the publication of the Dvorak organist at the Prague Organ School many other compositional and Complete Works Edition in 1961.3 between the ages of 16 and 18, and conducting responsibilities which Dvorak's exact reasons for was a practicing church musician were before him. (It is interesting to composing a mass for the dead are until he was almost 40.4 In addition, note that during the same visit to not known. Although his motivations Dvorak was known to be a Birmingham, Dvorak was given a for composing many of his other thoughtful and reflective person German translation of Cardinal works are documented in letters and throughout his life; consequently, a Newman's The Dream of Gerontius.) in conversations recorded by some of musical setting of a text which Dvorak's choral works continued his early biographers, Dvorak left no dimensionalizes the matter of the to bring him accolades, and each insight into the thoughts or feelings ultimate relevance of life would have been attractive to the devout composer. Another consideration is that with the exception of the early 1880s - the period in which he was fulfilling responsibilities associated with English musical institutions - choral and vocal compositions employing liturgical texts or religious subjects occupied Dvorak consistently throughout his mature period. 1877 Stabat Mater 1878 Hymnus ad Laudes in F esto Sanctae Trinitatis 1879 Psalm 149 1886 Saint Ludmila 1887 Mass in D 1890 Requiem Mass 1892 Te Deum 1894 Biblical Songs Finally, Dvorak's choice of both text and musical style for his Requiem was unquestionably influenced by the formidable musical programming Page 18 CHORAL JOLJRNAl which was the standard fare of the score-are extant, and are the Novello vocal score, and does not Birmingham Festival. property of the composer's heirs. include the revisions. The premiere of the Requiem took These scores were loaned to the place at the Birmingham Festival on distinguished editors of the The process of motivic and October 9, 1891, and was conducted Supraphon study score, ~haired by structural unification in Dvorak's by the composer. The performance, Dvorak scholar Otakar Sourek, and Requiem is largely dependent on the which occupied much of the are the basis for Supraphon's use of material presented by the Saturday morning on which it was exceptionally detailed 1961 strings in the first 11 measures of the given, received mixed reviews. 5 publication of the work. An work. The wide range of musical Frequent mention is made of expression found in this composition Dvorak's limited conducting ability, in no way suggests a limited palette which apparently caused a near. of motivic source material; however, catastrophe in the Pie Jesu. In a complete analysis of the RequiemS general, as the following excerpts "The general impression has resulted in the discovery that from the Manchester Guardian amongst the musicians nearly every measure of the vocal indicate, the composition itself seems and! or orchestral writing is derived to have been admired, but the present was that the from three motives contained in the performance left a great deal to be Requiem is one of the opening passage of the work. desired. The continuing presence of the noblest conceptions of initial four- note theme, found in Dvorak's "Requiem Mass" is modern times." measures 1 and 2, has been noted in perhaps the most valuable of several books and articles, and given the permanent results of the Manchester Guardian a variety of names-among them present Festival .... The new leitmotif, motto, initial theme, chief "Requiem" is so lucid in design motive, and even idee fixe. and construction-in spite of Unfortunately, these names generally the peculiarities of style with imply that this theme alone is used which we in England are even exhaustive description of the yet not really familiar - that autograph full score is included, as the musician at least has no well as an account of the previously difficulty in appreciating the neglected discrepancies between the Vocal Music of James Adler composer's intention from a autograph vocal score and the A WINTER TRIPTYCH first reading of the work. original Novello vocal score (1892, (SATB/Horn/Harp or Piano) Then, as truth must be told, edition number 8148).7 Plymouth: PXW-I06 Dvorak is the very worst Editions of the full score, vocal (TTBB/Horn/Harp or Piano) conductor I have seen. He score, and orchestral parts are Plymouth: PXW-300 seems absolutely incapable of currently available from several CAROLS OF SPLENDOUR affording the slightest assistance sources.