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SWR

Faure: Requiem & Poulenc: Gloria

$20.99

Details

Composer
Gabriel Faure, Francis Poulenc
Artist
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Francoise Pollet, Francois Le Roux, Sudfunk-Chor, Chor de
Format
CD
Label
SWR
Released
Jan 23, 2026
Catalog #
SWR19166CD
UPC
0747313916689

About

What distinguishes Fauré's Requiem from numerous other settings of the requiem text is it's rather intimate, restrained, almost chamber-music nature, a "lullaby of death", as it has also been called, initially more as a criticism of a work that for most of the time avoids depicting the dread of death and the Last Judgement. Fauré's reply "But this is how I feel about death: as a happy liberation, as a striving for happiness in the hereafter rather than as a painful transition", not only perfectly describes essential characteristics of his Requiem, but also reveals it to be a very personal expression of the composer's very own artistic nature. Two generations after Fauré (and Fauré's grand-disciple through his teacher Koechlin), Francis Poulenc's (1899-1963) displayed a significantly different approach to religion. Poulenc, who like Fauré was from the southern part of France, had been shaped by his homeland in the sense of a 'rural', intense but joyous Catholicism. He regarded his Gloria as a more joyful counterpart to some of his other sacred works, and it is in this spirit that the first movement, begins in a festive mood with a striking, fanfare-like motif in the full orchestra. If Poulenc cited Gozzoli frescoes with monks sticking out their tongues and Benedictine monks playing football as the source of inspiration for his Gloria, then nowhere is this more immediately comprehensible than in the second movement, with it's rhythmically pointed Laudamus te, of the choir. In both the opera house, and concert hall, Prêtre's interpretations were notable for their full-blooded and highly romantic character; in style, they were often different from those of French conductors of the previous generation. He was an effective conductor not only of the French repertoire, but also of the music of Italy, and Germany, a fact reflected by the admiration in which he was held in both countries. A highly experienced and polished recording artist, Prêtre had many years' experience of working in the studio. His discography was large. Especially important were his recordings of the music of Poulenc.

Tracklist 13 tracks

  1. 1 Introit - Kyrie (Chorus) 08:06
    Track
    1
    Title
    Introit - Kyrie (Chorus)
    Duration
    08:06
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Ensemble
    South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre
  2. 2 Offertory (Baritone, Chorus) 09:10
    Track
    2
    Title
    Offertory (Baritone, Chorus)
    Duration
    09:10
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    François Le Roux
    Ensemble
    South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre
  3. 3 Sanctus (Chorus) 03:14
    Track
    3
    Title
    Sanctus (Chorus)
    Duration
    03:14
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Ensemble
    South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre
  4. 4 Pie Jesu (Soprano) 03:39
    Track
    4
    Title
    Pie Jesu (Soprano)
    Duration
    03:39
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    Françoise Pollet
    Ensemble
    Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre
  5. 5 Agnus Dei (Chorus) 06:44
    Track
    5
    Title
    Agnus Dei (Chorus)
    Duration
    06:44
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Ensemble
    South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre
  6. 6 Libera me (Baritone, Chorus) 05:16
    Track
    6
    Title
    Libera me (Baritone, Chorus)
    Duration
    05:16
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    François Le Roux
    Ensemble
    South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre
  7. 7 In paradisum (Soprano, Chorus) 03:43
    Track
    7
    Title
    In paradisum (Soprano, Chorus)
    Duration
    03:43
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    Françoise Pollet
    Ensemble
    South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre
  8. 8 Gloria 02:46
    Track
    8
    Title
    Gloria
    Duration
    02:46
    Composer
    Francis Poulenc
    Ensemble
    South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre
  9. 9 Laudamus te 03:17
    Track
    9
    Title
    Laudamus te
    Duration
    03:17
    Composer
    Francis Poulenc
    Ensemble
    South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre
  10. 10 Domine Deus 05:08
    Track
    10
    Title
    Domine Deus
    Duration
    05:08
    Composer
    Francis Poulenc
    Performer
    Françoise Pollet
    Ensemble
    South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre
  11. 11 Domine Fili unigenite 01:25
    Track
    11
    Title
    Domine Fili unigenite
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Francis Poulenc
    Ensemble
    South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre
  12. 12 Domine Deus, Agnus Dei 07:37
    Track
    12
    Title
    Domine Deus, Agnus Dei
    Duration
    07:37
    Composer
    Francis Poulenc
    Performer
    Françoise Pollet
    Ensemble
    South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre
  13. 13 Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris 07:27
    Track
    13
    Title
    Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris
    Duration
    07:27
    Composer
    Francis Poulenc
    Performer
    Françoise Pollet
    Ensemble
    South German Radio Choir, Württemberg State Theatre Chorus Stuttgart, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
    Conductor
    Georges Prêtre