Description
Benjamin Britten: War Requiem - Blu-ray 2012
UPC: 4945604380706 / 0807280807097 / 807280807097
- ASIN : B009KTBYKC
Product Features
- Composer: Benjamin Britten
- Work: War Requiem
- Performers:Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO)
- Soprano: Erin Wall
- Tenor: Mark Padmore
- Baritone: Hanno Müller-Brachmann
- Chorus: CBSO Chorus & CBSO Youth Chorus
- Conductor: Andris Nelsons
- Recording Venue: Coventry Cathedral, 30 May 2012
- Publisher: Arthaus Musik
- Release Year: 2012
Overview
Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem was performed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Coventry Cathedral’s consecration. This historic event revisited Britten's profound masterpiece 50 years after its 1962 premiere, which Britten himself conducted in the same venue. The piece, a monumental work blending Wilfred Owen’s war poetry with the Latin Requiem Mass, is brought to life by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) and the CBSO Chorus under the baton of Andris Nelsons.
This Blu-ray disc features a captivating performance by soprano Erin Wall, tenor Mark Padmore, and baritone Hanno Müller-Brachmann, whose emotional interpretations add depth to Britten’s meditation on war, sacrifice, and reconciliation.
Filmed in High Definition at Coventry Cathedral, the recording captures the acoustic beauty of the cathedral, with powerful visual and auditory elements. The performance is complemented by PCM Stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound formats, delivering a deeply immersive experience. Subtitles are available in multiple languages, enhancing accessibility. Britten‘s War Requiem: 50th anniversary in Coventry. 2012 brings the 50th anniversary of the premiere of Britten‘s War Requiem, one of the most powerful pacifist statements in music. The first performance took place in 1962 in the newly consecrated Coventry Cathedral, built alongside the ruins of the old cathedral, left as a sombre reminder of the wartime bombings. On 30 May 2012, 50 years to the day, Britten‘s masterpiece returns to the cathedral, performed as at the premiere by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and vocal soloists from three once warring nations. The anniversary performance is conducted by the CBSO‘s Music Director, Andris Nelsons, featuring the Canadian soprano Erin Wall, English tenor Mark Padmore singing the role written for Peter Pears, and German baritone Hanno Müller-Brachmann. Choral forces are provided by the CBSO Chorus and Youth Chorus. Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) was commissioned to compose a work for the inauguration in 1962 of Coventry’s new cathedral, adjoining the old cathedral that had been bombed and nearly completely destroyed by the German “Luftwaffe” at the beginning of World War II in November 1940. The commission gave Britten complete freedom to choose the type of music to compose. He conceived of setting the traditional Latin Mass for the Dead interwoven with nine poems by the English poet Wilfred Owen, who had been killed in World War I. It has become one of the defining masterpieces of the twentieth century: a devastating meditation on the pity of war that is every bit as relevant today.
Interesting Facts
- Britten’s War Requiem was composed for the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral, built after the original was destroyed during World War II.
- The piece combines the traditional Requiem Mass with the war poems of Wilfred Owen, who died in World War I.
- Andris Nelsons, conducting the CBSO, delivers a moving interpretation of the work, capturing the tension and emotional intensity of Britten's score.
- This recording was co-produced with ZDF/Arte and NHK in cooperation with The Space, a digital arts service created by the BBC and the Arts Council of England.
- The 2012 performance celebrates the deep connection between Britten’s work and Coventry Cathedral, with the venue’s architecture and history amplifying the poignancy of the performance.
Track Listing
- Requiem aeternam
- Dies irae
- Offertorium
- Sanctus
- Agnus Dei
- Libera me
Disc Information
- Picture Format: Full HD 1080, 16:9
- Region Code: All regions (Region 0)
- Audio Format: PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1
- Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish
- Running Time: 97 minutes
Publishers
- Arthaus Musik
- Unitel Classica
- Co-produced with ZDF/Arte and NHK
Hashtags
#WarRequiem #BenjaminBritten #AndrisNelsons #CoventryCathedral #MarkPadmore #ErinWall #HannoMüllerBrachmann #LSO #ArthausMusik #ClassicalMusicBluRay #ChoralMusic
