Requiem (Saint-Saëns)

Saint-Saëns in 1875

The Requiem , op. 54 , is a work for soloists, choir and orchestra by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns .

Formal structure and instrumentation

construction

The composition is divided into eight movements:

1. Kyrie
2. This Irae
3. Rex tremendae
4. Oro supplex
5. Hostias (Offertoire)
6. Sanctus
7. Benedictus
8. Agnus Dei

instrumentation

Soloists ( SATB )

Choir

4 flutes

2 oboes

2 English horns

4 bassoons

4 horns

4 trumpets

4 harps

Timpani

Strings

organ

General

Saint-Saëns wrote the Requiem in Bern in April 1878 over a period of eight weeks . As in most Requiem settings, the language is Latin . It is not one of his most popular works.

The work is dedicated to the patron Albert Libon , from whom Saint-Saëns received 100,000 francs in 1877 . It premiered on May 22, 1878 in St-Sulpice de Paris , six days before André, Saint-Saëns' first son, fell out of the window to his death at the age of two and a half. The work was neither announced in advance nor reviewed in the press.

Web links

• Requiem Op. 54 : Sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
• Information about the Requiem

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Michael Stegemann: Camille Saint-Saëns with self-testimonials and photo documents. Rowohlt, 1988.