listening to the verdi requiem just now, i am reminded of one the most stunning aural experiences of my life.
last fall, we performed the requiem at symphony hall in boston. not much rehearsal time there so we were left with bu's pathetic options. so, the 170 member chorus and huge orchestra piled into the recital hall. the orchestra barely fit on the stage, the conductor stood at the back of the stage on a raised platform. the chorus stood in the audience seats, facing the conductor and the backs of the orchestra. we were miked so the conductor would be able to hear us and there were speakers relaying her, and us, back to us.
ok, weird set up, but then... the dies irae is crazy and loud... then comes the tuba mirum part. there are 4 trumpets in the mezzanine who start the trumpet calls, which then build into a huge brass chorus, then the chorus men join, finally the women and the rest of the orchestra. loud does not begin to describe this. we were in a little box of a hall, brass surrounding the us - blaring as loud as possible, 170 people singing with all their might. by the time we sang 'omnes,' i was literally screaming and i couldn't hear my voice. not at all. it was amazing. not something i could ever do again. we shouldn't have done it anyway - half of us wrecked our voices, but the moment was intensely powerful. and something i will never forget.
i tend to be one for subtler music - renaissance, baroque, early classical, 20th century... but there is nothing in the world like the verdi requiem. nothing.
last fall, we performed the requiem at symphony hall in boston. not much rehearsal time there so we were left with bu's pathetic options. so, the 170 member chorus and huge orchestra piled into the recital hall. the orchestra barely fit on the stage, the conductor stood at the back of the stage on a raised platform. the chorus stood in the audience seats, facing the conductor and the backs of the orchestra. we were miked so the conductor would be able to hear us and there were speakers relaying her, and us, back to us.
ok, weird set up, but then... the dies irae is crazy and loud... then comes the tuba mirum part. there are 4 trumpets in the mezzanine who start the trumpet calls, which then build into a huge brass chorus, then the chorus men join, finally the women and the rest of the orchestra. loud does not begin to describe this. we were in a little box of a hall, brass surrounding the us - blaring as loud as possible, 170 people singing with all their might. by the time we sang 'omnes,' i was literally screaming and i couldn't hear my voice. not at all. it was amazing. not something i could ever do again. we shouldn't have done it anyway - half of us wrecked our voices, but the moment was intensely powerful. and something i will never forget.
i tend to be one for subtler music - renaissance, baroque, early classical, 20th century... but there is nothing in the world like the verdi requiem. nothing.
