Peace. Serenity. Simply Divine.
Who’s on stage
Royal Northern Sinfonia and the Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia are headed up by choral specialist conductor Sofi Jeannin.
What they’re playing
A feast of Fauré, with his ever-popular Requiem alongside the melancholy Pavane, the suite from his opera Pelléas et Mélisande and Cantique de Jean Racine.
What’s happening in the music?
Unlike other Requiems, Fauré’s isn’t about hell, retribution and damnation. It’s more about comfort and serenity in the face of death rather than about the terror of judgement. It’s a piece full of powerful choral melodies and simply beautiful solos, not least the famous Pie Jesu (pious Jesus). Fauré was also a church organist and listening to the piece you can easily conjure up the atmosphere of an ancient, tranquil, incense filled cathedral. Unmissable.
Presenter – Alexander Armstrong
The Faure concert on Sunday 16th Feb is going to be sublime. A 3pm start and beautiful mellow programme. The Cantique de Jean Racine, the entire Requiem (it’s a relatively short Requiem and yet packs in so many glorious tunes) and then the Pavane and Pelléas et Mélisande Suite. A really spoiling feast of Faure. Fabulous soloists too. I’d travel a long way to hear Roddy Williams and Hilary Cronin!
Grab a cuppa, hop in your favourite comfy chair, sit back and relax with a performance of Fauré’s Pavane with none other than conductor Sir Simon Rattle and Berliner Philharmoniker.
